Andy Murray’s coaching team have responded after the former world No. 1 hit out at claims that he was “tarnishing his legacy”. The Brit is now 1-7 in his last eight matches, with his most recent win coming in October. Despite his poor run of form, Murray slammed suggestions that he should quit the sport and his coach and fitness trainer have now weighed in.
Murray has had a disappointing start to the season, crashing out in the opening round at his first three tournaments. His latest defeat came at the hands of Benoit Paire in Montpellier, as Paire earned his first ATP Tour-level win since August 2022. Murray hasn’t won a match in three months since the Swiss Indoors Basel and his recent lack of form has prompted some to question whether he should retire.
On Tuesday night the three-time Grand Slam champion hit back at a BBC article that asked whether he was damaging his legacy by continuing to play. “Tarnishing my legacy? Do me a favour,” the 36-year-old wrote. “I’m in a terrible moment right now I’ll give you that. Most people would quit and give up in my situation right now.
“But I’m not most people and my mind works differently. I won’t quit. I will keep fighting and working to produce the performances I know I’m capable of.” It’s a telling response from Murray, who indicated that he won’t be giving up anytime soon. And his coaches have now tried to remind people exactly what the Brit has gone through in his comeback from an injury.
Reposting a graphic of Murray’s comments, his coach Jonny O’Mara referenced Murray’s documentary, which follows him during months of difficulty with his hip injury and his hip resurfacing surgery. “I think maybe a rewatch of Resurfacing could be required for a few…” he wrote.
Murray’s strength and conditioning coach Matt Little also responded, bringing up one of his old tweets from five years ago. Little tweeted: “Just jumped on here and seen @andy_murray‘s response to an article. Thought I’d repost an old tweet from 2019 after ‘that’ press conference in Australia. What he’s achieving STILL, 5 years later with a metal hip is nothing short of staggering.”
The post from 2019 showed a graphic that read: “I didn’t hear no bell!!!” At the 2019 Australian Open, Murray famously called an emotional press conference and admitted that he may have to stop playing tennis because of his hip injury. However, he was able to mount a comeback following the resurfacing surgery. He initially returned in doubles, partnering Feliciano Lopez to lift the title at Queen’s.
Murray then won his 46th singles title and first post-operation at the European Open in Antwerp later that year. While he has not won a tour title since, he captured three trophies at Challenger level in 2023, also reaching the Doha final. But his ranking could soon be in trouble if he fails to defend those points in the coming months, with Murray currently sitting at No. 49 in the world.
