Tennis Pro’s Retirement Prompts Reflection

Jennifer Kaneda, Sports

Famous tennis players Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic decided to give Andy Murray a good last experience in his tennis career before he retires. Andy Murray, a pro tennis player who won the Grand Slam three times announced that he will be retiring after the Australian Open this month, January 28.

“I said to my team, ‘Look I think I can kind of get through this until Wimbledon’,” Murray said, with tears, as he announced his retirement to journalists at the Australian Open. “That is where I would like to… stop playing,”

Murray has been suffering from a hip injury, making it difficult to run and play his best, for two years.

“To see him struggle so much and go through so much pain, it’s very sad and it hurts me as his long-time friend, colleague, rival,” Djokovic said on his Instagram page.

Djokovic and Murray were born just a week apart in May 1987 and grew up together on the junior circuit before moving on to an advanced level.

Dojokovic also has a similar experience as Murray, having elbow surgery last year, which disabled him from playing for a few months. He had many days of struggling but successfully recovered in time for Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

On the other hand, his opponent, Roger Federer, was at first very shocked when he heard the news.

“I was disappointed and sad, a little bit shocked, to know now we’re going to lose him at some point,” he said on the eve of the year’s first Grand Slam. “Of course, I hope that he can play a good Australian Open and he can keep playing beyond that, really finish the way he wants to at Wimbledon.”