Aussie Open: Murray's career might have come to an abrupt end

At Wimbledon in January 2008. One of my favorite photos
from the trip to London.

Winter is not my favorite season. That may seem strange, considering how much I enjoy watching and covering hockey, but it's true. I could do without the snow, icy roads and sub-freezing temperatures. A mild winter with temps in the 30s and 40s would actually do just fine.

Still, one of the highlights during the doldrums of the winter months comes in mid-January when the tennis season starts with the first Grand Slam of the year: The Australian Open. Unlike Wimbledon, this tournament fits my night-owl ways a little bit better so I can stay up late (or just stay up until my normal, late-hour bedtime) to watch some tennis. The toughest part might be curbing my jealousy as the ESPN commentators discuss things like severe heat warnings and then the camera cuts to shots of the sunny Australian setting or players dripping with sweat.

At any rate, it's always a fun way to kick off tennis season and have a little variety in sports viewing. This time around, there was news even before the tournament started. Andy Murray held a tear-filled news conference announcing that this Grand Slam could very well be his last, saying he will retire in 2019. The 31-year-old and former No. 1 player has battled an injured right hip.

Murray mentioned in the presser how he's been struggling for a while.

"I've been in a lot of pain for probably about 20 months now," Murray said during the news conference. "I've pretty much done everything that I could to try and get my hip feeling better. ... Still in a lot of pain. It's been tough."

He added that he's not sure he can play through the pain for another four or five months. Obviously, playing Wimbledon one last time would be a goal. If he's able.

As the matches got started in the first round Sunday night, I thought about hitting the record button for the four overnight hours when Murray was scheduled to play. Nah, I thought. He'll get through the first round.

Spoiler alert: He did not. Despite playing well and taking the match to five sets after losing the first two, Murray was defeated by Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-2.

The could very well be the last time tennis fans seem Murray in a Grand Slam tournament. If that's the case, it's the end of a solid career and one cut short. A career with immense pressure as Murray was the pride of Great Britain. He won three Grand Slams, two Olympic gold medals and is a Davis Cup Champion.



I still remember listening to the end of the 2012 Wimbledon final when Murray came up short in four sets against Roger Federer. I can't imagine the disappointment he felt, finally getting oh-so-close to a Grand Slam but still unable to grab one, especially on the home grass. Let's face it, Federer is no freakin' slouch. I felt similar to when Andy Roddick lost at Wimbledon to Federer in 2009, that Murray might not ever see his dream of a grand slam realized, especially in front of his home fans.

For me, while the women's tennis world has been a combination of flashes in the pan, upsets and not much consistency at the top unless your name is Williams, the men's game over the past decade or more had a top crop of players. It was always Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Murray as the big four.

Murray's first grand slam title came at the U.S. Open in 2012 when he defeated Djokovic in a five-set thriller, 7-6 (10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2. It was the first time in 76 years that a British man a grand slam singles title. So yeah, there was some pressure there. Murray finally got his day in the sun at home, too, winning at Wimbledon in 2013 with a straight-set victory over Djokovic, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

Announcing his retirement prior to the Australian Open this year had to be particularly difficult because Murray has never won the tournament in Melbourne, despite making it to the final five times in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016. With the three grand slam titles to his name, it's fitting that two of them came on the grass at Wimbledon as he won it for the second time in 2016.

Murray had a successful 2016 season, making it to the finals of the Australian and French opens along with winning Wimbledon. He was also ranked No. 1 in the world.

But after that, it was a different story. He lost in the fourth round in Australia, then in the second round at Indian Wells. He suffered an elbow injury. He also dealt with the hip injury that just kept hanging around and made it to the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. He also missed some other tournaments and ended up losing the No. 1 next to his name, because of the hip injury. Causing a little controversy, he waited until just days before the U.S. Open to withdraw.

It was the same story for the 2018 Aussie Open, with the hip injury keeping him out. This time, he underwent surgery. He wasn't ready to come back and also withdrew from Wimbledon that year. Murray's career since the hip injury has been a waiting game to see if he'll play or withdraw because his body just wasn't ready to play in five-setters. He made it back for the U.S. Open last fall but lost in the second round.

An amazing tennis player.

But an even better person.

Thank you, @andy_murray 👏#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/uRPBLC2zY6

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 14, 2019

I'm sure Murray would love to come back for Wimbledon, but playing a hard-fought, five-set match in the Australian Open is also not a bad way to end his career. It has to be tough knowing that this wasn't his decision, in the sense that his injuries and his body were dictating things. Still, a three-time Grand Slam champion, and one who had such immense pressure on himself, offers a lot for Murray to be proud of as he retires in his early 30s.

It will be different not seeing Murray as part of the top-tier men's tennis game, but taking care of his body for the long-term has to come first.