John McEnroe sends Andy Murray retirement warning as he makes Pete Sampras claim
John McEnroe has asserted that it will be difficult for Andy Murray to continue playing if his ranking does not improve because he is “one of the great players in the last 15 years.”
The former world No 1 also suggested there is no perfect time to retire from the sport as players can always “end up looking back and start to second guess” their decision.
Murray is currently ranked 44th in the world, having climbed as high as 36th last year – his best position since undergoing two hip surgeries.
The 36-year-old started his 2024 campaign with a three-set defeat to eventual champion Grigor Dimitrov in the opening round of the Brisbane International last week.
The three-time major champion fell to a 3-6, 5-7 loss to Marin Cilic in the Kooyong exhibition on Wednesday, and is set to face Dominic Thiem at the event on Thursday.
The Brit lost five of his last six matches in a difficult end to a 2023 season which proved frustrating, including a brutal three-set defeat to Alex De Minaur at the Paris Masters.
Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion McEnroe explained why he feels it is difficult for Murray to keep going, but also tough to walk away from tennis.
“It’s going to be hard for him to continue if he’s No 45 in the world because this is one of the great players in the last 15 years,” the American told i Sport.
“And it’s also going to be hard for him to retire because he loves the game and he wants that one big run, that chance of playing Novak [Djokovic] in the semis or final of a major, or Rafa [Nadal].
“But it’s very rare you ever go out the way you want to go out. Look at Pete Sampras, he won the US Open at 31 years old, and decided this was the perfect time – ‘I got 14 majors, no one’s gonna ever catch me.’
“I wonder if he looks back now, 20 years later and goes, ‘Maybe I should have kept playing because I didn’t realise that these other guys are gonna get 20 and 25, or 24 and 22.’
“So even when it seems like it’s the perfect time to stop, you could end up looking back and start to second guess. Unfortunately as an athlete you feel like you’re always doing that. So it’s not the easiest thing to accept.”
Former world No 1 Murray recently admitted this could be his final season if he does not achieve better results and gain more enjoyment than last year.
“If I was in a situation like I was at the end of last year, then I probably wouldn’t go again,” the two-time Olympic champion said in an interview with BBC Sport.
“But then if physically I’m doing well and my results are good and I’m playing well, then that’s enjoyable and I could see myself still playing.
“We’ll see how the year goes, see how the body holds up. If things are going well, I’d love to keep going. But if they’re not, and I’m not enjoying it, it could be the last year, yes.”
