Andy Murray was quick to stifle any talk of retirement after beating No.24 seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in four sets on the opening day of Wimbledon.
“I keep getting asked: Is this gonna be my last Wimbledon? Last match? I don’t know why I keep getting asked about it. Like, no, I’m going to keep playing. I want to play,” he said on Centre Court, to resounding cheers.
“I’m enjoying it and I can still play at the highest level.”
Murray, a two-time Wimbledon champion and former world No.1, could have posted a resounding victory over Basilashvili when he served for the match at 6-3 6-4 5-0.
But although the Briton veered alarmingly off course in dropping seven straight games, he gathered himself impressively in the fourth set to complete victory.
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Incredibly, this was his first singles appearance at the All England Club in four years.
The last time we saw Murray playing singles on this court was in the 2017 quarterfinals, when the hip injury that would eventually cause him so many setbacks become painfully obvious in a five-set loss to Sam Querrey.
He missed the 2018 edition of the tournament, believing he was unable to manage the rigours of five-set tennis at that stage of his comeback. The 2019 event, less than six months after a hip resurfacing procedure, saw him skip the singles event and contest men’s and mixed doubles only.
The 2020 edition of the Championships was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Appropriately, the on-court interviewer concluded her chat to Murray by saying “welcome home”.
“It’s been extremely tough, even these last few months,” said Murray, who since his two hip surgeries has battled pelvic and groin issues.
“I didn’t have the most serious of injuries but it’s been extremely frustrating not being able to get on the court, and I’ve had such little momentum over these last few years.
“(I’ve) kept trying, kept working hard in the gym, kept doing all the right things to get me back in the position. And I feel very lucky I get to do it again.”
Indeed, Murray, now aged 34, ranked 118th and five years removed from his most recent Grand Slam trophy, has played just 11 matches in 2021. His run to February’s ATP Challenger final in Biella aside, he has not won back-to-back matches at tour-level since August last year.
The level of tennis, as he mentioned, is there. The problem has been backing it up.
He was brilliant in a come-from-behind victory over then-world No.7 Alexander Zverev at last year’s Western & Southern Open – only to lose 6-2 6-2 to Milos Raonic in the next round.
He displayed customary fighting spirit in a dramatic five-set win in the opening round of the 2020 US Open – yet Felix Auger-Aliassime smacked him off the court in round two.
A businesslike victory in the opening round at Queen’s Club earlier this month was followed by a one-sided loss to eventual champion Matteo Berrettini.
He will aim to buck that trend on Wednesday in the second round.
In somewhat encouraging news for Murray, his second-round opponent is yet to be determined; qualifiers Oscar Otte and Arthur Rinderknech are locked at 9-9 in the fifth set and will resume their battle on Tuesday for a chance to take on the three-time major champion.
Logically, the three-time major champion would be the physically and mentally fresher competitor in that second-round match, regardless of who he faces.
Murray certainly does not want to stop at this point of the tournament, considering the work he has put in to get here.
He would not have endured two surgeries, plus the countless hours of rehab and multiple setbacks which have followed.
He reminded us in an emotional interview at Queen’s how much he loves the sport.
Not a single dry eye in the place ?
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 15, 2021
Beautifully said, @andy_murray ?#cinchChampionships pic.twitter.com/eg8JF4Y8K9
And the Scot issued another reminder during his on-court interview on Monday, for anybody seeking to prematurely consider his career finished.
“I mean, he’s ranked 28 in the world and I’ve hardly played any matches, and I beat him,” Murray said of Basilashvili.
“So I’ll keep going.”