Andy Murray has ‘one factor in his favour’ as he plots glorious farewell to tennis

Andy Murray is on the comeback trail once again and respected broadcaster Marcus Buckland is convinced there could still be one moment of glory to come for the three-time Grand Slam champion.

Murray has confirmed he is planning to call time on his remarkable tennis career after this summer, but his hopes of a dream send-off at Wimbledon appeared to be in jeopardy after he ruptured ankle ligaments at the Indian Wells Masters event in March.

Remarkably, Murray has bounced back quicker than expected and will play in an ATP Challenger event in Bordeaux next week, with a final appearance at the French Open still possible later this month.

His primary focus for his final summer of tennis was always likely to be on British grass courts and Buckland has told Tennis365 that it’s not unrealistic for Murray and his fans to dream that there could be one last show-stopping moment to complete his tennis journey.

He also suggested the diluted expectations around Murray in what looks certain to be his final grass court summer could work in his favour.

“The romantic in me wants to believe there can be a glorious end to the Murray story,” Buckland told Tennis365 as he prepares to join the Roland Garros and Wimbledon Radio teams, as they prepare to broadcast daily coverage of the next two Grand Slams to a global audience.

“It might not be winning a tournament, but a stirring comeback as he bounces back from two sets down to win.

“Something like that followed by one final wave to his adoring public is what he deserves after giving us all in Britain so much joy down the years.

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“He goes into the grass court campaign with no great expectations due to the injuries he has had and that is one factor in his favour, but who knows what could happen. Anything is possible with this guy and he has shown that time and again down the years.

“He could build up a head of steam by winning at Surbiton and maybe Nottingham, as he did last year, get a couple of decent draws on the way to Wimbledon and who knows.

“If he could get through a couple of matches and maybe that one big run he is waiting for could finally come.

“I just want Andy to go out on his own terms. That’s all that matters. If that means winning one match at Wimbledon and saying goodbye when he feels happy that he has given everything he has left, that would be fantastic.

“That fierce determination is driving him on and when you think it is now five years since Mark Petchey did that emotional presentation to Andy on the court in Melbourne in what we thought was his final match, it’s amazing he is still going now.”

Murray has yet to confirm if he will play at the French Open, with reports suggesting he may only play in doubles alongside fellow Brit Dan Evans.

Yet he will be hoping his prowess on grass courts comes to the forefront again when he gets back onto home soil in June.

Murray could target defences of his Surbiton Trophy and Nottingham Open titles he won last year and then he will get a chance for a farewell to The Queen’s Club, where he is a record five-time winner.

That would be a prelude to the major farewell for Murray at Wimbledon, with presentations certain to be in the planning for a player who ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a homegrown champion at the All England Club when he won the title for the first time in 2013.