He wasn't able to say goodbye in the singles, but in the doubles with his brother Jamie, Andy Murray stands once again on Wimbledon's Center Court. It is an emotional farewell.
The first standing ovation comes before the match, after which there is time for handkerchiefs and more ovations. Andy Murray is bid farewell from Center Court at Wimbledon. However, there are always question marks over farewells for the Scottish showpiece.
In 2019, he tearfully announced his retirement at the Australian Open because his hip no longer cooperated. But he came back - with an artificial hip joint. But now it will soon be over for good, after the Olympic Games or in the fall at the latest. The 37-year-old's body is definitely not up to it any more.
Incidentally, he lost the 1st round doubles match against Australia's Rinky Hijikata/John Peers 6:7, 4:6, but that didn't matter at all. It obviously meant a lot to Andy Murray to be able to play this doubles match with his older brother again. "It had never worked out before."
Of tragedies and triumphs
Roger Federer was in the stadium beforehand, and after the end of the match, greats such as Novak Djokovic, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova and Tim Henman stood guard as Murray's greatest successes - and low blows - were reviewed on the video screen. From the lost Wimbledon final against Roger Federer in 2012, when the Scot captured everyone's hearts with his heartbreaking speech. "I'm not one to open up easily," Murray admitted, "but that was when people saw how much this sport and this place meant to me."
Until his triumphs, again against Federer, at the Olympic Games in London and finally at Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016. "Those three were okay," Murray said in his dry humor about Federer, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. "It wasn't exactly the easiest thing to get past them."
Huge pressure
He also talked about how much pressure he had felt when he finally became the first Brit to win the home Grand Slam in 77 years in 2013. "That's why 2016 was better, it's my favorite title."
Whether it was definitely his last appearance on Center Court is - as is the case with Murray farewells - not yet entirely certain. He is still playing mixed alongside Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open winner.
SDA