- Andy Murray played the last match of his remarkable tennis career on Thursday
- Murray and Team GB partner Dan Evans lost in an Olympic doubles quarter-final
- They were beaten 6-2 6-4 by USA duo Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul at Paris 2024
Andy Murray‘s remarkable tennis career came to an end on Thursday night when he and Team GB partner Dan Evans were beaten by USA duo Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul in an Olympic quarter-final.
Murray, 37, announced ahead of Paris 2024 that this would be his final event before retirement.
Having pulled out of the singles event to fully focus on his bid for men’s doubles glory, Murray teased fans that the final chapter might just be a golden one.
After saving five match points to beat Japan in the first round, Murray and Evans saved some more en route to defeating Belgium in the second.
But they were well beaten on Thursday, losing 6-2 6-4.
The last match of Andy Murray’s glittering tennis career ended in defeat in Paris on Thursday
Murray and Team GB partner Dan Evans lost in the quarter-finals of the Olympic men’s doubles
Taylor Fritz (right) and Tommy Paul (left) will now take on an Australian duo in the semi-finals
Fritz and Paul will now meet Australia’s Matthew Ebden and John Peers in the semis.
Murray won three Grand Slam singles titles during his career, including Wimbledon twice.
He also won three Olympic medals for Great Britain – two singles golds, plus a silver in the mixed doubles at London 2012.
Murray was pictured crying on court after Thursday’s defeat. Evans was in tears too.
Fritz and Paul led the applause as Murray made his emotional exit from court.
Murray won three Grand Slam singles titles during his career, including Wimbledon twice
Murray – who was knighted in 2019 – retires with a huge legacy in tow.
The Scot won 46 singles titles in an era he shared with Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
He beat a member of that famous trio on 29 occasions.
Murray was the year-end World No 1 in 2016 – the year he won his second Wimbledon title and became a double Olympic champion.
He won 739 of his 1,001 matches on the ATP Tour and won $64,677,584 in prize money.
As Britain’s tennis king, his career felt like a series of public experiences.
His retirement was no different and sparked widespread reaction from the world of sport and beyond.
UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer tweeted on Thursday night: 1′ Davis Cup, 2 Olympic golds and 3 Grand Slams. But more than that, thanks @andy_murray for two decades of phenomenal entertainment and sportsmanship. A true British great.’
British tennis player Naomi Broady added: ‘The legacy Andy Murray leaves will continue to impact British tennis for decades to come.’
Two-time Olympic cycling champion Victoria Pendleton wrote: ‘I think he’s given so much to British sport and the Olympics indeed. I’ve been lucky enough to meet Andy on a few occasions and he has always been humble, driven and kind and that speaks volumes.
‘His legacy is undoubtedly enormous in the wake of him retiring from sport. He has given his whole body to achieve such great things, and we’re all grateful for that.
‘I just want to say thank you Andy Murray for being such a hero.’
BBC radio host Greg James added: ‘It’s going to be awful having to watch tennis and not feel sick to your stomach isn’t it. Thank you Andy Murray – it’s been, at times, a complete fucking nightmare but I wouldn’t change any of it. I don’t even want to debate it, he’s our greatest ever sportsperson.’
More to follow.
