Roger Federer described Andy Murray as a “true inspiration” in a touching video message to the Brit, who retired at the Olympics. Murray, 37, announced prior to the Paris Games that he would be playing his last professional tennis event in the French capital, with his run alongside Dan Evans ending at the quarter-final stage.
Murray was the biggest threat to Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic throughout their dominance of the sport. He won three Grand Slam titles and two Olympic gold medals during a time when he shared the stage with three of tennis’ greatest-ever players.
The Brit was significantly recognised when he was invited to join the trio at the Laver Cup for Federer’s farewell matches. He joined the Swiss legend, Nadal and Djokovic in London and was formally recognised as a member of the ‘Big Four’, with Federer now doubling down on that stance.
“Hey, Andy. Many, many congratulations my friend on an incredible career,” Federer began in a message shared by the ATP Tour. “Wimbledon champion, US Open champion, Davis Cup champion, Olympic champion, and many more things you have achieved. So many Masters 1000s, world No 1 – and a Sir.
“So, Sir Andy Murray, incredible effort on the most wonderful of careers, [being a] great human being and doing it all with a massive family at the end – and a hip, and a body, that clearly wasn’t giving you what you wanted anymore at the end.
“But you’ve been a true inspiration to me and many of the players out there, and I’m so happy you could do it as long as you did.
“Just from my side Andy, I have so much respect. I loved playing against you, even though I lost so many times against you – and it was brutal.
“Congrats on everything you have achieved, and everything that’s to come. Only all the best, and I’m sure we’ll see each other down the road.”
Murray was a formidable opponent for Federer, with the pair meeting 25 times across their careers. The Swiss ace led the head-to-head 14-11, many of which came at Wimbledon.
Federer denied the Scot at the 2010 Australian Open and 2012 Wimbledon finals, though Murray got his revenge at London 2012, beating Federer to earn his first Olympic gold medal.
Murray has become the second member of the ‘Big Four’ to retire from professional tennis after Federer, with Nadal and Djokovic still competing and have also been in action in Paris.
Djokovic is going for the men’s singles gold medal against Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday, a rematch of this year’s Wimbledon final, after Nadal teamed up with his fellow Spaniard but similarly to Murray and Evans could not claim a doubles medal.
