Paris Olympics: Andy Murray times his final bow at the Games

The hallowed Roland Garros turf offers good reasons for tennis fans to flock to the event from 27 July at the Paris Olympics. While it offers a chance to watch the 24-Grand Slam winners Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in action, two-time Olympic medallist Andy Murray will take a bow from the sport once his campaign ends at the Games.

‘’Arrived in Paris for my last-ever tennis tournament @Olympics. Competing for Great Britain have been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I am extremely proud to get to do it one final time!’’ the two-time Wimbledon champion wrote on his X handle.

The writing was on the wall when at the last Wimbledon, a teary-eyed Murray said after his first round doubles loss that it was the last time he was stepping out on his favourite turf. Once regarded as part of the Big Four along with the now retired Roger Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal, the Briton slowly drifted out of reckoning ever since he underwent hip surgery in 2019.

He was no longer the same player and last month, again underwent surgery to get rid of a spinal cyst, which had been compressing his nerves. A winner of the 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon, he had won the French Open in 2016.

The Scot’s enduring affair with the Games began in Beijing in 2008, when he lost in straight sets to Lu Yen-hsun in the first round. Four years later, Murray swiftly put the disappointment of a Wimbledon final defeat by Federer behind him, defeating the Swiss in straight sets at London 2012 to win gold.

He then became the first male tennis player to win two Olympic singles titles when he beat Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro at Rio 2016. ‘’Sir Andy has lived and breathed the values of tennis throughout his long career, championing equality and helping to send the message that our sport is for everyone,’’ International Tennis Federation president David Haggerty said.

Meanwhile, Nadal, the man with 14 French Open titles at the venue and his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, the new crown prince of men’s tennis, were spotted together at the Games Village.

"As you all know and expect, one of the doubles teams will be Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal," David Ferrer, captain of the Spanish men’s tennis team, confirmed at a press conference before their departure for Paris.