But the last time Murray reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam was his 2017 run at Wimbledon. Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand is one of many fans who feel it is time for him to “leave it now” and hang up the racket, with nothing left to prove.
“He’s got to leave it now,” Ferdinand said in January on TNT Sport. “I’ve been there. Those injuries don’t go away, they keep getting worse and keep coming back. I’m done with hearing Andy Murray is still trying. What is he trying for? He ain’t got nothing else to prove.
“Murray is an absolute great. He was a warrior of the sport, winning Wimbledon twice. He was tops. When you think he was fighting against Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. He was amazing to win against those guys.”
But Murray has fought back from injuries in the past, against all odds and with a metal hip, and does not want to retire from the sport he loves. He admitted to The Times that retirement will only come if he is forced into the decision by his results, which have been below his standards this year.
“The thing that is difficult is that for most people, in most jobs, retirement is seen as a positive thing,” Murray candidly explained. “They retire at a specific age, it’s something to look forward to – a time to put your feet up and enjoy the rest of your life. But I don’t see it like that. I’m not happy about it.
“I still feel young. I won’t want to stop playing but, obviously, if I’m not getting the results I want and my body’s not feeling good, that draws you to conclude about whether you should keep going – or stop.
“I’m sure there will be other things in life that I will grow to love, enjoy and become motivated by. But right now? I still love tennis.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk