ANDY MURRAY AND HIS BROTHER JAMIE ARE BEATEN IN WIMBLEDON MEN'S DOUBLES BEFORE STARS TURN OUT FOR TEARFUL FAREWELL INTERVIEW WITH SUE BARKER ON CENTRE COURT AS LEGEND PREPARES TO RETIRE
- Murray, 37, is playing his final Wimbledon as he nears the end of a stellar career
- The two-time champion is set to partner Emma Raducanu in the mixed doubles
Andy Murray gave a tearful address to the Centre Court crowd in his final Wimbledon, saying: 'It is hard because I want to keep playing but I can't, physically it's too tough now. I want to play forever.
'I love this sport. It has given me so much, taught me loads of lessons. I don't want to stop.'
The two-time singles champion lost in the first round of the men's doubles with brother Jamie and, though he still has the mixed doubles with Emma Raducanu to come in his last Wimbledon before retirement at the Olympics, chose this moment for the All England Club to celebrate his legacy.
Sue Barker, who stepped down as the BBC's presenter of Wimbledon after 2022, returned to interview Murray on court, joking that she 'couldn't miss this'.
'It was obviously very special to play with Jamie,' said Murray. 'It was a race against time to get out here and physically it wasn't easy but I'm glad we were able to do it one time together.'
His wife Kim, his two eldest children, eight-year-old Sophia and six-year-old Edie, mother Judy and father William were among those in the crowd.
Murray, 37, was visibly emotional as he was shown a video including messages from the likes of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Fans gave Murray a standing ovation as the British star wiped tears from his eyes during his on-court interview with Barker.
A host of tennis greats were also present, such as Djokovic, Tim Henman, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova and Lleyton Hewitt.
Murray hilariously revealed he vomited in a taxi after his 2016 Wimbledon win, and threw up twice the first time his future wife came to watch him play. He also talked about 'almost blowing his chance' with Kim, who he married in 2015, when he asked for her email address.
'I don't remember much of that night,' he said. 'I had a few drinks. I did unfortunately vomit in the cab on the way home.'
On the first time Kim watched him live, at the 2005 US Open, he said: 'I vomited twice in that match, once right in front of where she was sitting and stood up and vomited on my opponent's racket bag.
'But she still seemed to like me so I knew she was a keeper after that!'
Murray spoke candidly about his Wimbledon triumphs, his Olympic gold and his defeat by Roger Federer in the 2012 final in his conversation with Barker.
'It's always really difficult to speak after a loss, particularly after a Grand Slam final and being at Wimbledon,' he said on the loss to Federer.
'That's the closest I had been and it was obviously difficult. It was quite an important moment in my career.
'I'm not saying I'm the most outgoing or bubbly personality, but I think people probably saw how much I cared about the sport for the first time maybe.
'Obviously it was an important match and important moment in my career.'
A few weeks later, Murray avenged the heartbreaking defeat by Federer as he beat the Swiss maestro on the same court to win Olympic gold at London 2012.
'Definitely to that point it was the biggest week of my life,' he added.
'To turn that around after losing in the final of Wimbledon and then to come here and play, it was one of my favourite days I've ever had, certainly as an athlete.
'To play in a home Olympic Games at Wimbledon, to beat Roger for once in a big match was nice and then I had a great run in the mixed doubles with Laura Robson as well so yeah, it was an amazing week for me.'
Murray was forced to bow out of the singles on Monday with a back injury to the heartbreak of scores of British fans.
But the Scottish star - who underwent spinal surgery just 12 days ago - committed to playing with brother Jamie and the mixed doubles with Raducanu.
Read more 2024-07-04T20:19:00Z dg43tfdfdgfd