Emotional Andy Murray reveals he could retire after Australian Open
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Emotional Andy Murray reveals he could retire after Australian Open

ANDY MURRAY has announced he is planning to retire after Wimbledon but next week’s Australian Open could be his final tournament because of injury.

The two-time Wimbledon champion has been struggling with a chronic hip problem for more than 18 months after undergoing surgery in Australia a year ago.

And speaking at a press conference ahead of his Australian Open round 1 match with Roberto Bautista-Agut, an emotional Murray admitted his hip was 'not great'.

Overcome with emotion, the Scot was forced to leave the room for several minutes in order to compose himself. He returned several minutes later to confirm the sad news.

"Obviously I’ve been struggling for a long time. I’ve been in a lot of pain for about 20 months now," he said.

"I’ve pretty much done everything that I could to try and get my hip feeling better and it hasn’t helped loads. I’m in a better place than I was six months ago but still in a lot of pain. It’s been tough."

The 31-year-old nevertheless insisted he would give his match with Bautista-Agut his all.

"I’m going to play. I can still play to a level. Not a level that I’m happy playing at. But it’s not just that. The pain is too much really and I don’t want to continue playing that way.

"During my training block (in Miami last month) I spoke to my team and told them I can’t keep doing this. I needed to have an end point because I was sort of playing with no idea when the pain was going to stop.

"I said to my team, look I think I can get through this until Wimbledon. That’s where I’d like to stop playing. But I’m also not certain I’m able to do that."

Asked whether the Australian Open might be his last tournament, Murray confirmed most fans’ worst fears.

"Yes I think there’s a chance of that for sure because I’m not sure I’m able to play through the pain for another four or five months," he said.

"I have an option to have another operation, which is a little bit more severe than what I’ve had before in having my hip resurfaced, which will allow me to have a better quality of life and be out of pain.

"That’s something I’m seriously considering right now. Some athletes have had that and gone back to competing but there’s obviously no guarantees with that and the reason for having an operation like that is not to return to professional sport, it’s just for a better quality of life."

Murray had been playing through the pain for several years before the injury became a serious problem in the 2017 French Open semi-finals.

Players old and new have taken to Twitter to react to the news.

Some urged Murray to fight on and finish his career on his own terms.

But, whatever happens, Murray and his fans will always have countless incredible memories from a fantastic career to look back on.