THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 4, 2024

Andy Murray

Jamie Murray

Press Conference

HIJIKATA-PEERS/Murray-Murray

7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: An emotional night out there on Centre Court. Give us your thoughts.

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it was. I mean, the match itself, yeah, it was tough. Physically it was hard for me. Yeah, I mean, we did pretty well. Obviously had a few chances in the match. Obviously went up a break in the second, and I think set point in the first set maybe in the tiebreak.

But yeah, it was hard physically for me anyway. I was fortunate I was even able to get on the court to play. Just wish, yeah, could have been a little bit better.

THE MODERATOR: Jamie, your thoughts?

JAMIE MURRAY: Andy got a great reception, as I think we all knew he was going to get. I think he did his absolute best to get himself in a position to play the match and be competitive.

Yeah, I think it was a fun experience for me to be out there and play with him. Obviously it was kind of strange knowing what the sort of background to the match was.

But yeah, it was cool to be able to do that. I think the club did a really nice kind of tribute at the end. It was really nice that so many players stuck around for that, as well. It was nice to see some of the guys on court with Andy afterwards.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Andy, what did you make of the tribute, the video, the fact so many of your peers came out to acknowledge you?

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, look, it was really nice. When the video was playing, my head was spinning a lot. I know I'm about to have to speak. It's difficult in those moments 'cause there's a lot of people you want to thank and address, but it is not easy. It was pretty emotional, as well.

Yeah, watching the video was nice, but hard as well, for me because you know it's coming to the end of something that you've absolutely loved doing, yeah, for such a long time. So that's difficult.

But yeah, it was obviously really nice that a lot of the players stayed. I mean, obviously have very close, good relationships with the British guys that were there, but there's also a number of players there on that court that I have enormous respect for, some of the greatest players in the history of the game and stuff.

It was really nice that they, yeah, stuck behind because we did finish quite late. I know some of them have had matches today. They might want to get themselves off to bed and recovering. It was really nice that they stayed around, yeah.

Q. What did it mean to you have two of your girls there watching?

ANDY MURRAY: I didn't know they were coming. When we were waiting in the locker room beforehand, I saw on one of the TVs that they were there sitting next to my wife. It was nice. They've only been to one other match that I played and sat in the stands before, in Nottingham last year. I didn't even know. I didn't know they were there.

Yeah, it was nice they managed to make it. Although I think my second -- I'm sorry, I should call them by their names, but I always sort of just go in order rather than do it that way. Our second kid, yeah, was struggling I think. It was way past her bedtime (smiling).

But yeah, it was lovely they were able to come and watch.

Q. You've obviously got at least one more match here. You had your tribute today. Is that something you wanted and asked for? If so, why did that feel more fitting?

ANDY MURRAY: No, it wasn't something that I'd asked for. When I was making the decision around the singles, the club spoke to me and said they would like to do something after one of my matches here. I think if I'd played singles, then would do it after I potentially lost in the singles. If the singles doesn't happen, we'd like to have it after the first doubles match, regardless of the result.

Yeah, it wasn't something I said, Please, please, can you do this for me.

But yeah, I'm thankful to them that they did it because... Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, I don't know, it feels like an ending to me. Whether I deserve it or not, I don't know. But they did a really, really good job.

Q. A lot of people are talking about what your legacy would be. I wonder how you would like to be remembered? Is this one thing you're kind of most proud of?

ANDY MURRAY: I find them quite difficult questions for me to answer because I don't think it's for me to sort of say, like, how I'd want other people to view me. There's things in my career that I'm really proud of. I certainly didn't get everything right during my career. I was far from perfect.

I think the thing, yeah, that I did a really good job of during my career was that, regardless of the highs and lows, whether it was winning tournaments, having difficult losses, an operation, a setback, that I was able to treat, like, the next day, like I always came into work with the same dedication, work ethic, and passion, as I had the day before, regardless of the highs and lows that the sport kind of has thrown at me.

I certainly didn't always get it right. Like on the match days, I was not perfect by any stretch, but I did always come into work and put in a good day. I gave my best effort.

Yeah, that's what I'm proud of. So I guess, I don't know, it's for other people to decide what my legacy would be. That's the thing I'm most proud of.

Q. It's very early in terms of processing this evening, but in terms of the search for closure you mentioned a couple of days ago, do you think tonight, the match, the ceremony, will help with seeking closure and trying to let go?

ANDY MURRAY: Look, I'm ready to finish playing. I don't want that to be the case. I would love to play, like I said, forever. But, like, today, even though it was a doubles match where physically it's obviously not as demanding, it's still really hard for me. My serve speeds and everything are like so far behind where they usually would be. I'm sure that would come back with time once I recover from the injury and everything.

Yeah, this year's been tough with the ankle, then obviously the back surgery, obviously the hip. Yeah, I'm ready to finish playing because I can't play to the level that I would want to anymore.

That's something that, yeah, I guess is a bit out of my control. If I knew my body was going to be able to do it, I would play -- there's nothing about the sport that I hate and I'm like, I don't want to do it anymore for this reason. I like the traveling. I love the competition, practicing, trying to get better, all those things.

Yeah, I know that it's time now. Yeah, I'm ready for that.

Q. There are a lot of players who lose their appetite for the sport and end up quitting early.

ANDY MURRAY: Say again.

Q. There are a lot of players who eventually after competing for a certain period lose their appetite for the sport and don't want to play anymore. I'm curious if you take any solace from the fact that even though you don't want to necessarily quit, your love for the sport, your discipline, and everything, has been the same as it has been for so long?

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, look, obviously everybody's different, everyone has different career paths. Some players, particularly the women, start at a really young age on the tour. Yeah, I've also been really lucky in the sport as well in terms of the results and everything that I've had. That's not the case for everyone. A lot of tennis players live quite a different life.

If you're playing the lower levels of tennis and stuff, it's really difficult. It financially is hard. It can be really, really lonely at times. I've been fortunate to have a team around me. I've had family on the road. My brother's always been with me. Parents have traveled a bit and stuff.

Yeah, everyone has different journeys. I mean, yeah, I've always loved the sport and I've never fallen out of love with any parts of it really. I've gone through difficult periods, for sure. Like I said, I would always wake up the next day and it was not like I'm not touching a racquet again, I don't want to pick up my racquets for a week. I was always desperate to get back on the court.

Yeah, never lost that.

Q. Novak keeps coming in here and he keeps saying, I think he could probably play singles again next year, I hope he does. I don't know if you've heard that. Do you think he's challenging you to try and give it a shot? When you do hear that, do you get tempted and think if I'm rested after four months, maybe my body is going to feel better? Does your mind go to places like that?

ANDY MURRAY: Look, before what happened in Miami, I was starting to play good tennis. At Queen's, obviously got through the first round there. Like I can still win matches at this level. There's no question that if, even with the physical issues around the hip, I was still able to compete at the highest level. Not as consistently as I would have liked, certainly not having the results I would have wanted.

Yeah, I mean, I could definitely still win matches here on the grass once I'm recovered from the back injury. But I don't want to do that now.

Yeah, I know I could do it, but I have no plans to play singles again.

Q. Jamie, seeing all this talk about your younger brother retiring, as long as you're fit and healthy, will you go forever, as well?

JAMIE MURRAY: I mean, I still enjoy competing and still enjoy going to these events. I mean, the events keep getting better and better, I think.

Yeah, like for me, obviously I haven't made the money that Andy's made in his career, so my motivation financially to keep playing is definitely there, as well.

Yeah, I still feel like fit and healthy. I haven't had any surgeries or anything like that. I feel good. Yeah, I'm still enjoying being at these events, motivated to kind of keep working hard to stay at this level for as long as I can.

I think, like, when you do finish, it's difficult to replace that with something else in your life.

Q. Andy, thank you for all the memories you've created for us, making another memory tonight. How did your Centre Court tribute compare to the one you received at the 2019 Australian Open?

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, to be honest, I really don't remember that much about the Australian Open one. Yeah, it was obviously a bit premature, unfortunately (smiling). Obviously I ended up playing for like five and a half years after that was done.

I mean, at the time I did appreciate it. I was going through a pretty rough time for, I don't know, like a year, 18 months up till that point. I said to my team after that match that I played, if that was the last match that I played, I would have been okay with that. It would have been a great way to finish.

Yeah, I mean, obviously tonight, because I knew definitively that that was going to be the last time I'm playing here, I don't know, the buildup to the match and everything, the last week and everything, has been really emotional for me. Every time I was sort of on my own, I find myself getting a bit emotional and thinking about it and everything.

So yeah, I mean, they did a really nice job this evening. I'm glad that it's done now. Obviously try and enjoy the mixed doubles in a couple days' time. It should be fun.

Then, yeah, got a family holiday planned after this, then the Olympics, that's it.