Andy Murray Bows Out of Singles

Andy Murray has withdrawn from the singles competition at the Paris Olympics but will participate in the doubles event, marking the final appearance of his illustrious career. The three-time Grand Slam champion confirmed he will retire after this, his fifth Olympic Games. His final singles match was against Jordan Thompson in June at Queen’s, where he had to retire due to a back injury.

This same injury forced him to withdraw from Wimbledon’s singles, though he did play in the doubles there. Murray will team up with Dan Evans in Paris, facing Japan’s Taro Daniel and Kei Nishikori in their opening match on Sunday. Despite the setback of not playing singles, Murray expressed his satisfaction with the opportunity to compete once more.

He noted the challenge of recovering from injuries as he ages, stating, “I’m happy I get to do this one more time. It’s unfortunate [not playing in singles], but I’m getting a bit older now so it gets harder to recover from injuries.” The Olympic draw also features Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who might meet if they progress past the first round. Nadal, also participating in his final Olympics will face Marton Fucsovics while Djokovic will play Matt Ebden.

British players include Jack Draper, Cameron Norrie and Katie Boulter, who will also be joined by Heather Watson in the women’s doubles. Australian doubles legend Mark Woodforde believes Andy Murray and Evans are strong contenders for a medal, highlighting that playing only doubles reduces the physical strain on Murray.

Woodforde praised the Murray-Evans duo as potential “dark horses” for the podium, noting that focusing solely on doubles could enhance their chances.