Andy Murray crashed out of the Stuttgart Open, defeated in the opening round by the American Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-4 in an unfortunate setback before what could be his final appearance at Wimbledon.
Murray, 37, had hinted at his retirement this summer, so these could be the last few weeks of his athletic career. Yet, what happened was the exact opposite of what he had hoped for.
“I’ve had some tough months, but physically I feel OK just now – the ankle, the back. It’s all felt better since going on to grass,” Murray declared.
What’s next for Murray?
Hoping to do better, he will play at Queen’s, where he dominated for so long, when he returns to London in preparation for Wimbledon.
He will play alongside his brother Jamie in the men’s doubles at the All England Club, marking their first-ever Grand Slam together.
The Stuttgart match was Murray’s 999th singles game as a professional tennis player. He missed the Miami Open in late March due to torn ankle ligaments, but then returned to action.
If he retires after this summer, this season’s Wimbledon and the Olympics might be the final competitions in his entire career.
Source: Sky Sports, BBC