MUZZ END
Andy Murray’s tennis singles career OVER as he pulls out of Paris Olympics 2024 event – but vows to make career change
Murray could take on all-star doubles pairing in Paris
ANDY MURRAY will never play another tennis singles match ever again – but has vowed to become a GOLFER!
The Scotsman, 37, is pulling out of the singles competition at the Paris Olympics due to an ongoing back problem.
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The former world No1 will focus instead on winning a medal in men’s doubles with Team GB partner Dan Evans at Roland Garros.
Yet once his playing career is over – the Olympics represent his final-ever event – he will swap tennis racquets for golf clubs.
The Scotsman – a two-time Wimbledon champion – said: “Initially, I want to be at home next with my family.
“I want to spend a lot of time with my four kids and wife. I won’t be on the road much, I know that.
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“I’ll play a lot of golf. I’ll try to become a scratch golfer.
“That’s something I’ll definitely try to do. I’ve always loved playing golf but because of the issues with my back, I haven’t played for five or six years.
“I’ve hardly played since I was 18 or 19. So that’s something I really want to do initially.”
His last singles match – the 1,001st at ATP Tour level – came on June 19 when he quit after five games of the Queen’s second round with Australian Jordan Thompson due to injury.
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Andy Murray's career timeline
SIR Andy Murray is Great Britain's most successful tennis player of the Open era.
After breaking through in 2005 to reach the Wimbledon third round at 18, the Scot was British No1 by the following year.
In 2008 he reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open, only to fall to Roger Federer in straight sets.
Two more final defeats at the Australian Open to Federer and Novak Djokovic followed in 2010 and 2011 before heartbreak at Wimbledon in 2012.
Despite taking the first set against Federer, he fell 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4 in front of a home crowd before breaking into tears on Centre Court.
But a month later on the same court he beat the Swiss legend to earn Team GB a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics.
And weeks after that he broke his Grand Slam duck at the fifth attempt, beating Djokovic in five sets in the US Open final.
In 2013, following another Australian Open final loss, Murray beat Djokovic in straight sets to become the first British man in 77 years to win the Wimbledon title.
Three more losing Grand Slam finals followed, at the 2015 and 2016 Australian Opens and the 2016 French Open.
But in his third Grand Slam final of 2016, Murray won Wimbledon again with a straight sets victory over Canadian Milos Raonic.
He followed it up with his second Olympic gold medal, beating Juan Martin del Potro in a four-hour epic in the final in Rio de Janeiro.
Later in 2016 Murray became world No1 - the first British man to do so in history.
Over his career Murray reached 11 Grand Slam finals, winning three. He won two Olympic golds and a silver (in the mixed doubles alongside Laura Robson).
He will finish his career with 46 titles and over £50million in earnings, making him the fourth all-time leader in earnings.
And - if he can achieve the perfect fairytale ending, as unlikely as it seems - hopefully another Olympic medal in the doubles alongside Dan Evans.
Murray, who had a cyst removed from his back last month, is set to pull out of the 64-man singles competition – though governing body, the ITF, were caught unaware by his comments on Wednesday afternoon.
The draw for the five events will be made tomorrow from 10am and the Brits could end up facing the Spanish Dream Team of Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal.
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Explaining his decision to focus on doubles, Murray said: “Me and Dan have made the commitment to each other that that was what we were going to prioritise.
“I think Dan is still going to play singles. Last week he did a lot of doubles practice.
“That’s what I have been predominantly practising and training while on holiday in Greece.
“That gives the team and us the best opportunity to get a medal. That’s realistic.
“My back is still not perfect. The potential of playing two matches in a day is maybe not the best.”
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