Australian Open 2019: Andy Murray bows out in typical fashion - with grit and fortitude

Yesterday, the first big Grand Slam of the tennis calendar got underway at Melbourne Park. For one player, the past two days have already been incredibly emotionally wrought. Five-time Australian Open finalist, three-time Grand Slam winner, and two-time Olympic gold medallist Andy Murray bowed out of his Round 1 match at the Australian Open, only a day after declaring he was on the cusp of retirement, and that he would like Wimbledon to be his final tournament. Yesterday also saw Andy Murray, in typical Andy Murray fashion, fight in front of a packed stadium, the occupants of which were aware of just how much pain the player was in. The Scotsman put up quite a battle against Spanish 22nd seed Roberto Bautista-Agut, who had to battle towards his 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 6-2 win in the end. Andy Murray, as Andy Murray often does, held onto his last sliver of hope till the end. That Murray has struggled with injury has been no secret — and Murray’s hips truly don’t lie. Early last year, Murray, at the top of his game — and the rankings — announced he would be having hip surgery. That sidelined him for the 2018 Australian Open, and prolonged absences and withdrawals from the tour meant that his ranking dropped — as low, at one point, as 839. [caption id=“attachment_5893961” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Andy Murray in action at the Australian Open. AP[/caption] Prior to the real ‘arrival’ of Andrew Murray, tennis was always about the ‘Big Three’. Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal sat firmly upon thrones; thrones that they now appear to have returned to with full splendour, while Murray was still the relative outsider. With him, Murray also brought the hopes and dreams of one of the original tennis nations, the originators of Wimbledon, and a nation that had not had top tennis glories for the better part of eight decades. In the past few years, Murray became the proverbial face of British tennis, in a country that had had tennis stars, but no true tennis idols since the 1930s, and the iconic Fred Perry — many of whose records Murray would go on to break. First, in 2012, Murray won the US Open to become the first British man since Perry to win a Grand Slam title since 1936. He went on to win the Olympic gold that year, and followed it up with another Grand Slam the next year. In 2015, Murray was instrumental in Great Britain’s first Davis Cup win since 1936 — once again emulating Perry — and giving modern Britain a World No 1 Whether it was on or off the court, Murray, ever the jokester online, took his title of idol very seriously. Certainly, he was at the top of his game, but Murray, the person, dry humour and all, used his fame to support a number of incredibly important issues. Murray never shied away from speaking for women’s rights and equality, and famously at Wimbledon in 2017, interrupted a journalist who insinuated Sam Querrey — whom Murray had just lost to — was the “first American player to reach a major semi-final since 2009”. The Scot highlighted Querrey was the first male player to reach a major semi-final since then, particularly considering Serena Williams, between 2009 and 2017, won a staggering 14 Grand Slam titles. Asked directly of his views, Murray said “Have I become a feminist? Well if being a feminist is about fighting so that a woman is treated like a man, then yes, I suppose I have.” Perhaps today, more than ever, people have become increasingly more aware of mental health issues — something Murray has been outspoken about for many years, signing on with a number of charities, and going on to become the NHS ambassador for mental health. Today, one can only imagine the toll the match against Roberto Bautista Agut must have taken against Murray. Toiling for every point, however, Murray remained the Murray that so many of us know and love — refusing till the end, fighting the good fight, pushing until it was literally physically impossible to do so. It’s an attitude that has been typically Andy Murray from the get-go, and through surgeries, rehab and social media, it’s something that has stuck with players — and endeared him to many — players, tennis watchers, and others. Yesterday, even as tributes poured in from every corner of the tennis fraternity, Murray pulled off yet another ‘typical Murray’ move — suggesting that he wanted to “come back next year” and this year might not be the end just yet.