Andy Murray described as ‘painful’ to watch as two experts make retirement predictions

Kevin Palmer 30 Jan 2024 2:22 PM

Andy Murray in action at the Australian Open 2024

Andy Murray’s agonies have continued at the start of 2024 and now two leading voices in the game have given Tennis365 their verdicts on what he should do next.

The former world No 1 remains winless at the start of this year after losing in three sets to France’s Benoit Paire in the first round of the Open Sud de France.

Murray, who exited both the Brisbane International and the Australian Open after his opening match, let slip a one-set lead against Paire, currently ranked 112, to lose 6-2 6-7 (5) 3-6 in just short of two and three-quarter hours.

Murray raced into a 3-0 lead in the opening set after breaking Paire’s first service game and broke the Frenchman for a second time in the eighth game to wrap it up 6-2 in 38 minutes.

It was a defeat that cast fresh doubt over his future in tennis, with Sky Sports lead commentator Jonathan Overend speaking to Tennis365 about what comes next for the two-time Wimbledon champion.

Speaking to this website on the day Sky Sports announced the launch of the first-ever exclusive tennis channel for the UK and Ireland, the respected commentator insisted Murray does not need to be asked retirement questions he will inevitably be pondering himself.

“You look at it from the outside and feel one thing and then you try to put yourself in his shoes and you can understand why he keeps going,” Overend told Tennis365, as he prepares to lead the commentary team on the new Sky Sports Tennis channel.

“This is his life, this is his passion. All he wants to do is play tennis and compete and no one should tell him to pack the rackets away and call it a day.

“He’ll know as well as anyone when the time is right to end it. He’s going through it and doesn’t need us to tell him it’s not going well.

“The second half of last year was tough for all of us to watch and he keeps having these early defeats, but I don’t see him changing his mindset.

“He decided to go through the pre-season programme again, got himself out to Australia and clearly still believes he can compete at the highest level.

“Deciding on what comes next at the end of the year would seem logical, but how much more misery can he take if he keeps losing in the first round of tournaments?”

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Overend suggests Murray’s long farewell to tennis is already at an advanced stage, but the Scot has confirmed he does not want a fanfare to end his time in the sport.

“He’s said he doesn’t want an open-top bus parade to end his career as that is not his style,” added Overend.

“Only he will know when the time is right and I think it is likely to hit him at some point and he wakes up and thinks that’s me done.

“I’m not going to make any judgement on when Andy Murray should retire as he has more than earned the right to go out on his own terms.

“If he wants to play a full season and that involves a lot of early round defeats, then that’s his prerogative. He’s still playing tennis, doing what he loves to do and I’m sure he will give us lots of entertainment on Sky Sports along the way this year.”