S Kannan in Paris
Some elite athletes have been pushing their battered and bruised bodies just for one last bow at the Paris Olympics. Great Britain’s Andy Murray, winner of three Grand Slam titles and two Olympic gold medals ( London 2012 and Rio 2016) is one such competitor at Roland Garros.
The man the fans love for his fighting spirit has decided, sensibly, not to play singles. It will just be doubles with Dan Evans on the brick-red clay in Paris. “Competing for Britain has been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I am extremely proud to get to do it one final time,” said Murray in a social media post.
One may wonder why there is so much hype about an old athlete, who, at 37, does not know which part of his body will give away next. But from the time Murray underwent a hip-replacement surgery, his return to tennis has been incredible. He had tried very hard to get himself fit for Wimbledon. After a minor surgery on his back, he did plenty of physio sessions and was still not ready for The Championships. He had to say bye to the singles and made an attempt in doubles with Jamie Murray, which was not too good.
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The rest period between Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics was not big, but Murray the fighter has taken a chance. He wants the last wave, for he has romanced the Summer Olympics with great passion. His practice sessions in Paris have begun in right earnest, and he still has that aura as fans come to see him.
At a time when the younger-generation stalwarts like Jannik Sinner have pulled out of Paris 2024, and Angelique Kerber has also announced her goodbye after these Olympics, there are a lot of emotional stories. Murray knows he is not in the best shape but will try hard. He may or may not win a medal in doubles, but competing with the Olympic spirit will be the perfect finale for a man associated with good manners and court etiquette.
To say that he is still popular is an understatement, as he still draws widespread media attention. “I am ready to finish playing,” Murray had said at Wimbledon. “Yet, I don’t want that to be the case. I would love to play forever.”
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