Former world No 1 Mats Wilander has revealed he would like to see Andy Murray retire at the 2024 Paris Olympics in a “perfect world” as he hailed the Brit’s legacy.
The great Swede believes the Olympics would be the “dream” event for Murray to retire at because the two-time gold medallist has had a better career than Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the Games.
Murray is the only man in tennis history to win two gold medals in singles at the Olympic Games, having triumphed at the 2012 and 2016 editions of the event.
At his home Games in London in 2012, Murray stunned Roger Federer in straight sets in the gold medal match with a memorable display — with the event staged at Wimbledon’s All England Club. The Brit also won a silver medal in mixed doubles with partner Laura Robson in London.
The three-time major winner then defended his Olympic title four years later when he overcame Juan Martin Del Potro in a gruelling four-set final in Rio de Janeiro.
The 36-year-old announced last month that he is “not likely” to play beyond the summer of 2024, with Wimbledon and the Olympics both strong contenders to be the final tournament of his glittering career. The tennis event at the 2024 Paris Games will be staged after Wimbledon from 27 July to 4 August at Stade Roland Garros.
In an interview with Eurosport, Wilander lauded Murray for the impact he has had on British sport and his incredible record at the Olympic Games.
“I would like to see him retire with some kind of a medal at the Olympics in Paris with a British flag around him,” said the Swede.
“We understand that Andy Murray is Andy Murray, but more than anything, he’s Sir Andy Murray, and the size of his greatness in Great Britain is way, way beyond what we could comprehend in the rest of the world.
“He has given Great Britain hope they have a champion, which Great Britain doesn’t have often. I think that it gave the whole sports environment in Great Britain hope that they can still produce world champions and Olympic champions.
“Plus, the Olympics are a category where Andy Murray is actually ahead of the ‘Big Three’. He’s won the Olympic gold in singles twice. He’s won the silver medal in mixed at Wimbledon in 2012 with Laura Robson. His Olympic career is better than Roger, Rafa and Novak. So that’s where I think he should end.
“For me to see Andy Murray wave goodbye is first of all going to be very sad. And someone that’s gone through so much pain and that has made it back nearly all the way deserves so much credit. I think his dream retirement in my perfect world would be at the Olympics.
“I’d like to see him at the Olympics, because I think that we don’t realise in the rest of the world what Andy Murray has done to sports in Great Britain, what Andy Murray has done to bring, even in a certain way, countries together with England and Scotland.
“Sometimes he says he’s Scottish, sometimes he says he’s British. He represents Great Britain.”
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