Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has led tributes to Sir Andy Murray following the conclusion of his illustrious tennis career.
After 21 years of professional play, Murray’s final match ended in a defeat during the quarter-finals of the Olympic men’s doubles. Partnered with Dan Evans, the British pair lost 6-2, 6-4 to the American duo Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul, extinguishing Murray’s hopes for a final Olympic medal.
In a light-hearted response to his career’s end, Murray took to social media platform X, jokingly posting:
“Never even liked tennis anyway,” and promptly changed his bio from “I play tennis” to “I played tennis.”
Sir Keir Starmer expressed his admiration for Murray’s career on X, highlighting his achievements:
“1 Davis Cup, 2 Olympic golds and 3 Grand Slams. But more than that, thanks @andy_murray for two decades of phenomenal entertainment and sportsmanship. A true British great.”
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney also praised Murray, calling him Scotland’s greatest ever sportsman and a true sporting legend, while expressing pride in his achievements during a challenging era in tennis.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, along with various public figures including comedians Dara O Briain and Shaparak Khorsandi, and even the Scotland National Football Team, joined in celebrating Murray’s legacy.
Murray’s mother, Judy Murray, shared a poignant photo of a young Andy at his first tennis match, capturing the journey of a boy from Glasgow who would go on to become the first British Wimbledon men’s singles champion in 77 years and the only man to win two Olympic singles golds.
Despite his career being hindered by a chronic hip injury, Murray’s contributions to tennis have left an indelible mark on the sport. His retirement, announced shortly before his final Olympic appearance, marks the end of an era.
