Andy Murray admitted there is a “definite possibility” he has played his last Australian Open after the five‑time finalist endured his most sobering grand-slam defeat since returning from hip surgery, losing 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 against Tomás Martín Etcheverry, the 30th seed, in the first round of the Australian Open on Monday.
“Definitely a possibility,” he said. “Yeah, it’s a definite possibility that will be the last time I play here. I think probably because of how the match went and everything, I don’t know. Whilst you’re playing the match, you’re obviously trying to control your emotions, focus on the points and everything. When you’re one point away from the end, you’re like: ‘I can’t believe this is over so quickly, and like this.’ In comparison to the matches that I played here last year, it’s the complete opposite feeling walking off the court.”
Murray had arrived in Australia filled with optimism but by Monday evening that positivity was destroyed. Murray said he had been training well, matching top players in practice and felt physically capable of playing high‑level tennis, yet his performance was flat.
Asked if he is still confident he can produce the results for which he is training, Murray said: “If I play like today, absolutely not, no. I won’t win many matches playing that way. Practice is not the same thing. I’m totally aware of that. I also know what good tennis is. I’ve played well before. I know in the last week, 10 days, how well I was playing against the best players in the world.”
Over the past year, Murray has said frequently that he has a point in mind for when he would like to retire from professional tennis, a topic about which he has spoken numerous times with his family. He admits, though, that the timeframe he has given himself could narrow after such a poor performance.
“I have an idea of when I would probably like to finish playing,” Murray said. “So much of that depends on how you’re playing. The timeframe for that narrows when you play and have results like today.
“I know that Tomás is a really, really good player. I’m aware of that. Even if I play well today, I can still lose the match. It’s just the nature of the performance that makes you question things.
“I haven’t gained in belief from today’s match that at some stage I’m going to start playing really well again or winning tournaments or getting to the latter stages of major events.
“Last year was a slightly different story. Physically I held up well against two really good players. Yeah, very different situation sitting here. So the timeframe narrows a little bit for me to get to a level that I want to be at.”
