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Andy Murray announced today that the 2019 Australian Open may be his last tournament in an emotional press conference in Melbourne. But Murray hopes to battle on until this year’s Wimbledon to have a farewell from tennis at the Centre Court where he won two titles - in 2013 and 2016.
At the moment, by his own admission, that scenario is unlikely for the Brit. The news is the confirmation of one of the Big Four of tennis (Djokovic, Federer, Nadal and Murray) hanging up the boots, signalling the beginning of the end of the era, which they have dominated together sweeping all but a stray few grand slam titles.
The 3-time Grand Slam winner has struggled to recover from hip surgery and his comeback to the circuit has not been as smooth as expected. Murray was visibly emotional and in tears at the press conference before the start of the Australian Open, where he faces Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the opening round.
Murray had his breakthrough year in 2012 when he won the US Open and the Olympic Gold in London. He was the world number 1 player for 37 weeks and won 14 Masters 1000 titles along with the season ending ATP tour finals in 2016 after he successfully defended his Olympic title in Rio. He is thus the only male tennis player to have won two Olympic singles titles.
He became the first British man since 1936 to win a Grand Slam singles tournament in 2012. He is also the first British man to win multiple Wimbledon singles titles since the legendary Fred Perry did in 1936. He featured in Great Britain's Davis Cup winning team in 2015 and played a starring role in the triumph.
Knighted for his achievements in the Queen's New Year Honours list in 2016, Murray also ruled out becoming a doubles player after retiring from singles, thus ending the possibility of him teaming up with his brother Jamie Murray.
