Andy Murray injury history: Growing problems that cast doubt over Wimbledon farewell
Andy Murray has been widely expected to call time on his career this year - but a new injury has cast doubt on his Wimbledon swansong
Andy Murray’s legendary tennis career has taken a tough toll on his body and now it looks as though his Wimbledon farewell is hanging in the balance. The former world number one saw his campaign to win a sixth Queen's Club title cut dramatically short this week when he was forced into retirement in his second-round match against Jordan Thompson.
Murray was trailing Thompson 4-1 when he suddenly let the Australian's return sail past him without response. A hushed crowd held its collective breath as it became evident that Murray was unable to move at all as a physio came on to the court to help the 37-year-old.
The latest injury to Murray is unfortunately not a shock to fans of the sport. The Brit has suffered a deluge of issues in his career and now in his twilight years with a history of injury worries, it's perhaps no surprise that the former Grand Slam winner pulled up at Queen's.
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Throughout his storied career Murray has dealt with injuries to his back, hip, ankle, knee and shoulder. It was only in March this year at the Miami Open where Murray collapsed to the floor after he hurt his ankle in an epic encounter with Tomas Machac. However, injury woes flared up almost as soon as Murray began his career in the pro ranks of the game.
Much of Murray's discomfort can be put down to the fact that he was born with a condition that's known as bipartite patella. The issue means the kneecap remains as two separate bones instead of fusing together, however Murray was unaware of the problem until he was 16-years-old.
Shortly after turning professional in 2005, he was forced to miss three months after a back injury, heralding the start of a career where he would have to battle with his body on a regular basis. It was in 2006 that he had to retire from the Davis Cup with a neck injury during a tie with Israel.
The then 19-year-old had also suffered with cramp at Wimbledon the year before and was then hampered by a back problem in a defeat to Gael Monfils at the French Open in 2006. Speaking on his issues at such a young age, Murray told Five Live Sport at the time: "I had an X-ray and it showed the bones aren't fully grown. That's why my back gets sore and that's why I get cramp."
In 2007 he made headlines after he missed Wimbledon due to a tendon issue. The damage was inflicted during the German Open in Hamburg after he snapped the tendons in his wrist, leaving him out of action for much of that summer. Murray picked up his first Queen's Club title in 2009, although a wrist injury meant he missed six weeks of action that year. In 2011 Murray missed more time on the court with groin and elbow issues.
The following year was an iconic one as after battling against back spasms throughout the French Open, and losing to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final, the Scot picked up the gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics after beating the Swiss legend in the final on Centre Court.
Shortly after his Olympic success however, he retired early in the Rogers Cup due to a knee injury, but did go on to claim his first major as he won the US Open. At the Rome Masters in 2013 however, Murray was again forced retired due to a hip injury during his second round match against Marcel Granollers on his 26th birthday.
He went on to win Wimbledon for the first time that year but ended the playing season prematurely to have surgery on his back in a bid to finally address the problem that had plagued him for years. Murray then enjoyed a relatively healthy few years where he powered back up the world rankings having dropped down a few places due to injuries and a consequent dip in form.
The ex-US Open champion may have been given a knighthood in 2017 but on the court he suffered with complaints to his hip and elbow which meant he missed his first Grand Slam, the US Open, since 2013. Shortly after, he declared that he would miss the rest of 2017 and even claimed that another big injury setback would lead to his retirement.
"If my body is in good shape and I'm still able to compete consistently, I'll keep playing," Murray said. "But I can't look so far in advance with the age I'm at and with the issues I've had. If I was to have a big injury, I probably wouldn't try to come back from that."
However, the following year Murray announced on social media that he had undergone hip surgery. After a disappointing season, the former gold medalist decided to end his season early after an ankle niggle. An emotional Murray revealed, at a press conference just prior to the 2019 Australian Open, that he could retire from the game due to struggling for a "long time".
He added that he had been in discomfort even with simple tasks such as putting his shoes on.“I’ve been in a lot of pain for probably 20 months now,” A visibly upset Murray said. “I’ve pretty much done everything I could to get my hip feeling better. It hasn’t helped loads.”
In January 2019, Murray had resurfacing hip surgery in another push to banish issues with the problem area once and for all. In December of that year Murray's team confirmed that a pelvic injury would prevent him from competing in the 2020 Australian Open.
It was in 2021 that Murray missed three months of the tennis calendar due to a groin problem. The two-time Wimbledon title holder was largely injury free for the next two years but now his troubles have firmly reared their head once again.
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Back injuries have largely been the bane of Murray’s career and after his first‑round defeat at the French Open last month, he revealed he would undergo treatment to address the soreness in his back and revealed that he still hopes to play at SW19 in July.
He has often said he is unlikely to compete after this summer and that Wimbledon or the Paris Olympics would be the venue for his epic swansong. Speaking about whether the injury at Queen's will keep him from that, he claimed that he "doesn't know" but did say his back had been sore in the run up to the competition.
Whether the sporting icon can find a way to battle through and celebrate his stunning career on one of tennis' big stages remains to be seen. Speaking after he retired at Queen's and on the severity of the injury, Murray said: "I just know that this is not something - I hadn't experienced that before.
"You know, I have had, like I said, dealing with the back pain today, yesterday, and for the last 10, 11 years of my career, but I have never experienced that before. So, you know, I don't know what the procedure will be or what to expect, really. Let's hope it will be OK with some rest and treatment, and I'll still be able to play."
