Photo: Collected
In a doubles match Murray played alongside his brother Thursday (04 July), The Murrays lost 7-6 (6), 6-4 in the first round of men’s doubles against Rinky Hijikata and John Peers. Still, the result was, truly, beside the point on this evening.
All part of the first stop on the two-time Wimbledon singles champion’s farewell tour at a tournament that meant so much to him.
“The match itself, it was tough, physically. It was hard for me. ... I was fortunate I was even able to get on the court to play,” said Murray, who had surgery to remove a cyst from his spine less than two weeks ago, forcing him to withdraw from singles.
“It was pretty emotional,” Murray said about the postmatch tribute. “Watching the video was nice, but hard as well, for me. Because you know it’s coming to the end of something you absolutely loved doing for a long time. So that was difficult.”
It was the first time a men’s doubles first-round match was played in the event’s main stadium in nearly 30 years, a fitting way for him to begin to say goodbye and for his many fans to offer their thanks and well wishes, too.
Messenger/Sourov
