Andy Murray has confirmed his withdrawal from the men’s singles at the Paris Olympics, where he will play the final event of his career alongside Dan Evans in the men’s doubles.
Murry, who all but declared his intentions when he spoke to reporters at the British team base on the outskirts of north-west Paris on Wednesday, formally announced his decision in a statement on Thursday morning, shortly before the draw was made.
“I’ve taken the decision to withdraw from the singles to concentrate on the doubles with Dan,” said Murray. “Our practice has been great and we’re playing well together. Really looking forward to getting started and representing GB one more time.”
The Olympics will be the second major singles competition Murray has missed in less than a month. After undergoing surgery to have a spinal cyst removed on 22 June, the 37-year-old, a double Olympic gold medallist in singles, was also forced to abandon plans for a final singles appearance at Wimbledon, instead limiting his involvement to the men’s doubles, in which he made an emotional farewell to the tournament alongside his older brother, Jamie.
Now history is set to repeat itself, with Murray fearful that competing in two events would be too great a workload so soon after his operation.
“Obviously, Dan and I have made the commitment to each other that this was what we were going to prioritise,” Murray said on Wednesday. “I think Dan is still going to play singles.
“Since we’ve been here, we’ve been practising and playing doubles sets together. That gives the team and us the best opportunity to win a medal, realistically.
“My back is still not perfect, and the potential of playing two matches in the day is maybe not the best.”
Injury setbacks have been all too frequent over the final months of Murray’s career. He ruptured ankle ligaments in Miami in late March, and although he returned to competition less than eight weeks later, in time to contest the final weeks of the clay-court season, he required treatment on his back following the French Open. While it is not the first time the 37-year-old has suffered back problems after competing on the surface, the subsequent transition to grass revealed deeper issues.
After defeating Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in his opener at Queen’s Club, Murray was forced to abandon his last-16 meeting with Jordan Thompson while trailing 4-1 in the first set. That would prove to be the final singles match of his career.
Murray, however, has been eager to accentuate the positives, particularly after he was originally told by doctors that he would not be able to play at either Wimbledon or the Olympics.
“After what happened in Miami with my ankle, and then what’s happened with my back, it is extremely frustrating,” said Murray. “But I also was told when I had the scan on my back after Queen’s that I wouldn’t play at Wimbledon and I wouldn’t play at the Olympics either. I got the opportunity to play at Wimbledon and physically, judging by how we’ve been doing in our practices, [I’m] more than capable of competing and doing very well in the doubles. In some ways, you could say it was lucky.”
Murray won the first of his gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics, defeating Roger Federer just four weeks losing the Wimbledon final to the Swiss. That victory proved the catalyst for the first of Murray’s three grand slam titles, which came at the following month’s US Open. By the time the Scot successfully defended his Olympic title in Rio de Janeiro four years later, he was also a two-time Wimbledon champion.
“Every time I have come to the Olympics it feels totally different,” said Murray. “I personally love it. For me, it has been an amazing experience. I love being around athletes, being part of the team, representing my country. For me, it has been right up there.”