‘I never said I was retiring’ – Andy Murray opens up on watching farewell video in Australia

ATP Tour
Andy Murray watching tribute video at Australian Open

Andy Murray says he was surprised at the ‘farewell’ video played on court after his defeat at the 2019 Australian Open – because he hadn’t thought he said he was retiring.

Murray tearfully announced before the start of the tournament that he was struggling with the hip injury that had decimated his previous 18 months on Tour, and he did not believe he was able to come back.

The message the press took from the briefing, though, was that he had announced his retirement, mainly due to the fact he admitted it ‘for sure’ could be his last ever tournament.

However, speaking at the premiere of his new Amazon Prime Video documentary, Murray opened up about the experience.

“I didn’t think I had said that,” Murray said when asked about everyone’s belief that he had announced his retirement in Melbourne. “I didn’t really know what I had said at the press conference.

“I was so emotional. But I didn’t think I had said I’m retiring. I think I’d said I would like to get to Wimbledon to stop and at the time that was my plan.

“I didn’t want to play any longer than that because I couldn’t do it anymore.

“I can’t remember exactly what was in the video but it was obviously a tricky moment for Mark Petchey (the on-court interviewer) as well.

Murray’s match at the Australian Open turned into a superb showpiece, with him fighting back from two sets down to force a decider, before running out of steam and falling just short.

“I had said to my team and my family that if it is the end, that’s fine,” Murray added. “That would have been an amazing way to finish.

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“Brilliant atmosphere, packed crowd, epic match, almost came back and I was like ‘that is fine’.

“If I had to finish there I would have been okay with it.”

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