Andy Murray struggling form has continued at the start of 2024 and now two leading voices have weighed in on what he should do next to get out of troubles.
The former World No. 1 is 0-3 at the start of this year after most recently losing in three sets to Benoit Paire of France at Montpellier.
Murray who suffered opening round losses both at Brisbane International and Australian Open, blew a one-set lead against ATP #112 Benoit Paire to eventually lose 6-2, 6(5)-7, 3-6 in the first round at Open Sud de France. Murray was leading the opening set 3-0 after breaking Frenchman’s first service game before breaking him for a second time in the 8th game of the set to seal the first set 6-2 in 38 minutes.
According to Sky Sports commentator Jonathan Overend, speaking to Tennis365, the fresh agonizing defeats at the start of 2024 are casting further doubts over the feature of 3-time Grand Slam champion. The leading tennis voice at Sky Sports believes Murray should not be asked retirement questions as he will be surely be pondering himself.
“You look at it from the outside and feel one thing and then you try to put yourself in his shoes and you can understand why he keeps going,” Overend told Tennis365, as he gears up to lead the commentary team on the newly launched Sky Sports Tennis channel.
“This is his life, this is his passion. All he wants to do is play tennis and compete and no one should tell him to pack the rackets away and call it a day.
“He’ll know as well as anyone when the time is right to end it. He’s going through it and doesn’t need us to tell him it’s not going as well as it could to.
“The second half of last year was tough for all of us to watch and he keeps having these early defeats, but I don’t see him changing his mindset.
“He decided to go through the pre-season programme again, got himself out to Australia and clearly still believes he can compete at the highest level.
“Deciding on what comes next at the end of the year would seem logical, but how much more misery can he take if he keeps losing in the first round of tournaments?”
Overend suggests Murray’s long farewell to tennis is already knocking on the door, but the Brit has confirmed he does not want fans to decide for him.
Overend added: “He’s said he doesn’t want an open-top bus parade to end his career as that is not his style.
“Only he will know when the time is right and I think it is likely to hit him at some point and he wakes up and thinks that’s me done. I’m not going to make any judgement on when Andy Murray should retire as he has more than earned the right to go out on his own terms.”
“If he wants to play a full season and that involves a lot of early round defeats, then that’s his prerogative. He’s still playing tennis, doing what he loves to do and I’m sure he will give us lots of entertainment on Sky Sports along the way this year.”
Sky Sports presenter Gigi Salmon also expressed her views on 2-time Wimbledon Champion’s game, as she admitted the final chapters of his career are easy on eyes.
“It was painful looking at Andy struggling in the second half of last year, really tough,” Salmon told Tennis365.
“This is his 20th year on tour and when he first came back from hip surgery, he said he wanted to compete for Grand Slam titles again. Now he has changed that to say he just wants to compete with the best players in the game as he loves it so much.
“He will have to make some decisions this year. If he is not getting the results he wants, he will take himself to one side and ask why is he still doing this, but he loves the challenge, loves the travel and just loves playing tennis.
“When he gets himself into good positions, he needs to take those opportunities and that is not what he has been doing.
“He is finding it tough, we are finding it tough to see him lose, but we wish him well and would love to see him come back and start winning again.”