Andy Murray said he was retiring "on my terms" as his trophy-filled career came to an emotional end at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, closing another chapter on tennis's golden generation.
The former world number one and three-time Grand Slam title winner slipped into retirement aged 37 when he and Dan Evans lost in the men's doubles quarter-finals at Roland Garros.
American pair Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul delivered the knockout blow with a 6-2, 6-4 victory on a packed Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Britain's Murray had already announced that the Olympics would be his last event. "I'm proud of my career, my achievements and what I put into the sport," said Murray. "Obviously it was emotional because it's the last time I will play a competitive match. But I am genuinely happy just now. I'm happy with how it finished."
He added: "I'm glad I got to go out here at the Olympics and finish on my terms because at times in the last few years that wasn't a certainty."
Few hours after Murray had made his exit, he cheekily wrote on X: "Never even liked tennis anyway".
Novak Djokovic, a longtime rival of Andy Murray, praised him as "an incredible competitor." The Serbian tennis star described Murray as "one of the greatest warriors tennis has seen" and expressed confidence that Murray's fighting spirit would inspire future generations.
Carlos Alcaraz too paid a tribute to Murray on X and wrote, “It was a privilege to share the court with you, Andy! Congratulations on a legendary career and for being an example to all. You will always have a fan here.”
Murray won Wimbledon twice and the U.S. Open once, along with his Olympic golds from London in 2012 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016. His first Wimbledon championship, in 2013, made Murray the first man from Britain to win that trophy in 77 years.
He also won the title at the All England Club in 2016; his initial major championship came at the U.S. Open in 2012.
Murray won gold at the 2012 Olympics on an emotional day at the All England Club when he defeated Federer just weeks after he had lost the Wimbledon final to the Swiss on the same Centre Court. Four years later he defeated Juan Martin del Potro to become the first player, man or woman, to win two Olympic singles golds. Murray also led Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015, the country's first in 79 years. He has won 46 titles in all and banked around $65 million in prize money.
