Andy Murray has decided to forgo the Wimbledon singles competition, opting instead to make his farewell to the All England Club in the doubles alongside his older brother, Jamie. The 37-year-old, who is planning to retire later this year, underwent surgery 10 days ago for a back issue that has been causing nerve pain in his right leg.
Murray, a two-time Wimbledon singles champion, was set to face Tomas Machac on Centre Court on Tuesday. However, after having a cyst near his spinal cord removed, Murray has decided to withdraw from the singles draw.
“Unfortunately, despite working incredibly hard on his recovery since his operation just over a week ago, Andy has taken the very difficult decision not to play the singles this year,” Murray’s team announced in a statement. “As you can imagine, he is extremely disappointed but has confirmed that he will be playing in the doubles with Jamie and looks forward to competing at Wimbledon for the last time.”
The Murray brothers, who have never teamed up at the Championships, are set to play later this week, with the first round of the men’s doubles scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton mentioned that the pair could even play on Friday.
Wimbledon organisers expressed their regret over Murray’s withdrawal from the singles competition, stating, “We are so looking forward to seeing you compete in the doubles and celebrating all the memories you have given us.”
How Murray’s Latest Fitness Issue Unfolded
Murray has been battling a back issue that flared up earlier this summer, forcing him to retire from his match at Queen’s against Jordan Thompson on 19 June after only five games. Determined to make a final appearance at Wimbledon, the scene of some of his greatest triumphs, Murray has been working hard to recover.
On Sunday, Murray reported that the area where he had the operation was not sore, but he still did not have full sensation in his leg. After training with former British number one Kyle Edmund on Monday, Murray decided to focus on the doubles event.
What Next for Murray?
Having initially feared he would have to retire in 2019 due to hip surgery, Murray returned to the tour later that year after having a metal cap inserted into the joint. Despite ongoing injury issues, the three-time major champion announced earlier this year that he did not plan to “play much past the summer.”
Murray, who also won Olympic gold at the Rio 2016 Games, has been selected to represent Great Britain at the Paris Games next month. The tennis event starts on 27 July on the clay courts at Roland Garros. Whether Murray will compete in the singles or doubles alongside Dan Evans will depend on his recovery over the next few weeks.
Analysis: ‘Knowing Murray, It May Not Be a Quick Goodbye’
Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent
The sobering realization that we will never see Andy Murray in a Centre Court Wimbledon singles match again has finally arrived. Murray had indicated as recently as Sunday that it was likely he would not compete, ultimately deciding that a competitive five-set singles match was impractical so soon after spinal surgery.
Although a doubles farewell was not part of his ideal script, Murray will have his brother Jamie by his side, his family in the stands, and BBC cameras capturing what could be a memorable national television moment. And as this is Andy Murray, his goodbye may not be quick. “Who says we are going to go out? I think we can win matches,” Murray told BBC Sport over the weekend.