February 26, (THEWILL) – Tennis legend Andy Murray has indicated that the 2023-2024 season may be his last on the ATP tour after securing his 500th hardcourt victory against Denis Shapovalov at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
With this milestone, Murray joins an elite group of players, including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal to notch 500 tour wins on the surface.
“I’m proud to have accomplished something only a handful of players have achieved,” remarked the 36-year-old about the hardcourt record. However, Murray admitted: “As you get older, competing with these young guys gets harder and harder. I probably don’t have too long left but I’ll keep pushing as best I can these last few months.”
Murray’s comments come on the heels of an early exit at the 2024 Australian Open last month. The former world number one and three-time Grand Slam winner has struggled to progress deep into Major tournaments since 2017 when he reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Despite recent lacklustre results, Murray remains defiant against critics questioning if continuing to play will damage his otherwise glowing legacy. “Most people would quit and give up in my situation right now. But I’m not most people and my mind works differently,” Murray fired back on social media last month. “I won’t quit. I will keep fighting and working to produce the performances I know I’m capable of.”
Only time will tell if the veteran has enough left in the tank to produce some more magical Grand Slam runs. Still, whether this campaign truly marks the end or not, Murray has undoubtedly cemented himself as an all-time great with his major titles, Olympic gold medals and now 500 victories on hard courts under his belt.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
