QUEEN’S — Andy Murray signed off at Queen’s for perhaps the last time in the worst possible fashion, limping out of the second round with a back injury after just five games. Murray, 37, had needed all three sets to beat Alexei Popyrin on Tuesday , only his second win at Queen’s since 2017. He admitted afterwards he had “felt better” but gave little indication that he would not be able to compete with Australia’s Jordan Thompson, only to pull up during the warm-up while serving.
Read Next Andy Murray has a successor and 'he will be best British player for years' The two-time Wimbledon champion did try to play through the pain but was obviously hampered and will now face a race against time to be fit for Wimbledon, which starts on 1 July. “That’s no way to go out, especially for a great champion,” said Thompson, whom Murray appeared to tell his “back’s gone” as they shook hands afterwards. “I hope that’s not his last match [Queen’s] but I’m sure it won’t be.
I’m sure he can hang around one more time.” Murray has already said that this is probably his last summer playing professional tennis, although he is yet to confirm the exact date of his departure . It means that this will almost certainly be his last time playing Wimbledon, where he is due to play singles as well as doubles alongside his brother Jamie, and he had hoped to either play matches at Eastbourne or the Hurlingham Club as part of his preparations.
But that is now in serious.
