Andy Murray’s hopes of building up some momentum ahead of what may be his final appearance at Wimbledon suffered a blow as he crashed out of the Stuttgart Open in the first round.
The 37-year-old was defeated 6-3, 6-4 by world number 54 Marcos Giron and needs to improve significantly to have a chance of making an impact at the All England Club.
Murray will bid to step up his Wimbledon preparations at the Queen’s Club Championships – a tournament he has won on five previous occasions.
Murray admits he needs to ‘play better’
While Murray is yet to confirm this year’s Wimbledon will be his last, all the signs point to him having one final hurrah before riding off into the sunset.
Tennis fans will be eager to watch what may be Murray’s final outing at the tournament and can follow his progress from the outset when they buy Wimbledon tickets from seatsnet.com.
They will hope to see the two-time champion produce something close to his best form, although his recent performances suggest that may be a little fanciful.
After making an early exit at the tournament in Stuttgart, the British star admitted that he needs to step things up if he is to have any chance of competing at Wimbledon.
“My game needs to improve – the level of tennis on the tour is high,” Murray said. “I need to play better if I want to win more matches.
“I’ve had some tough months, but physically I feel okay just now – the ankle, the back. It’s all felt better since going onto grass.
“I’ve been struggling with breaking serve. I’ve not broken for a few matches and that’s usually been a strength of mine.
“On a quick surface like grass, the sets are tight. When your chances come you have to be clinical – he was and I wasn’t.”
Organisations gearing up for Murray’s retirement
The All England Club has confirmed it is ready to commemorate Murray’s career if he announces his retirement plans during Wimbledon this summer.
Chief Executive Officer Sally Bolton says they will be guided by Murray but are eager to recognise the achievements of a player who put British tennis on the map.
“We have certainly got plans in place, and we’re ready and prepared,” said Bolton (h/t the Guardian). “Our plans are very adaptable and we’re clear about what we want to do.
“However, it is really important that this is Andy’s call and so we’ll be very much led by him in the decision he makes.”
The BBC is also gearing up for Murray’s announcement after announcing it will broadcast a fascinating documentary looking back at his career and life.
The broadcaster says the programme is ‘an in-depth exploration of his incredible journey from Dunblane to becoming a sporting legend’.
Murray, his family and several all-time tennis greats chronicle his roller-coaster ride in the sport, which was headlined by him ending a 77-year wait for a British Men’s Wimbledon champion in 2013.
Using more than 20 years of exclusive BBC footage, the documentary looks back at Murray’s childhood and his move with his family to continue his tennis development in Spain.
The programme also takes a deep dive into how Murray coped with the expectation of carrying a nation’s hopes on his shoulders to rise to the pinnacle of his sport.
Murray unsure whether he will play at the Olympics
British fans hoping to see Murray compete before he retires would be well-advised not to miss the opportunity to catch him in action at Queen’s and Wimbledon.
He was tipped to play at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris this summer but has hinted he may skip the tournament, which is scheduled to be staged at Roland Garros.
The former world number one won gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics and was expected to head to France after competing at Wimbledon.
“I still need to see what happens with the Olympics,” said Murray. “I’m not 100 percent sure what the situation is with the doubles. If I just get into the singles, whether or not I will play I don’t know.
“I don’t know if I would go just for singles so I need to wait a little bit and see on that. My body did not feel great on clay the last few months. I need to wait and see on that.”
Murray’s uncertainty over his participation in Paris stems from the fact he will be unable to partner with his brother Jamie in the doubles event.
Dan Evans is in line to team up with Murray despite the pair failing to get past the first round at the French Open at Roland Garros last month.
British star will leave the sport with his head held high
Murray has not won a singles title since claiming the 2019 European, and a succession of injuries has impacted his hopes of competing at the top level.
There have been sustained calls for Murray to retire, and some pundits have suggested that he has risked tarnishing his legacy by continuing.
He angrily refuted those claims earlier this year, saying he would keep ‘fighting and working to produce the performances I know I’m capable of’.
Murray received support from former US stars Andy Roddick and James Blake, who said he had earned the right to quit the sport however he saw fit.
Respected tennis commentator Jonathan Overend supported that viewpoint and urged people to respect Murray’s right to decide when he should retire.
While their opinions undoubtedly carry plenty of weight, Murray is unquestionably in the dying throes of his storied tennis career.
He ended last season ranked a respectable 42 in the world, but his form this year currently places him outside the top 150. His decline has been sad to watch.
Frustration with his own performances has become increasingly prevalent, and will most likely be having a bigger impact away from the public glare.
When you have reached the top of the mountain in your chosen profession, it can be mentally challenging to not be able to reach the same heights.
An emotional farewell in front of his adoring fans at Wimbledon seems like the right way to bring down the curtain on a career that he can look back upon with pride.
