‘Andy Murray ought to have retired already – his tennis profession was good not nice’
Andy Murray is going out with a whimper.
Like a loose forehand into the net, instead of an overhead smash down the middle of centre court. Which is a shame for someone who has been at the forefront of the narrative of British sport for almost two decades.
He deserves better than to resemble someone who is fighting against an opponent even he cannot beat. Time. And the harsh truth is Murray should have retired long before now.
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He should have listened to his body and chosen a more appropriate moment than the Wimbledon doubles to hang up his racket at SW19. Because what he’s achieved in tennis will make him an icon of his sport and the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
I had the privilege of being on centre court in 2013 when he won the first of his two singles titles. It reduced one member of the watching media to tears.
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It was a moment in time – and had Murray played in a different era he might have won countless Grand Slams, instead of just three. He will leave his spiritual home one last time, and is deserving of a statue at Wimbledon because he gave British tennis something to be proud of.
But the argument about him being Britain’s greatest ever sportsperson shouldn’t even be taking place. He isn’t even Britain’s greatest ever tennis player.
That title belongs to Fred Perry, who won eight Grand Slams and at least one of all the four major titles. Murray was good, but not great.
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For all his success and dollars in the bank, the Scot also lost twice as many Grand Slams finals as he won, including five defeats in the showpiece game at the Australian Open.
That’s right up there with the biggest choker in snooker, Jimmy White. Because tennis has been starved of a hero in the main, it tends to put individuals like Tim Henman on a pedestal he doesn’t deserve to be on.
For goodness sake, Henman didn’t even reach a Wimbledon final. And when it comes to ranking Murray, he too will no doubt be elevated to legendary status.
But he shouldn’t come into the same equation as the likes of Perry, Nick Faldo, Steve Redgrave, Daley Thompson or Ian Botham.
