CNN
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It was an emotional night for three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray on Thursday as the 37-year-old’s Wimbledon farewell began with a doubles defeat.
Murray will retire from the sport this season and will play for the last time at Wimbledon, a venue that has hosted some of the most memorable moments of his career.
After a doubles defeat alongside his brother Jamie on Thursday, Murray was moved to tears after a short ceremony on Centre Court during which a montage of his career was shown on big screens.
“It’s tough because I’d like to keep playing, but I can’t. Physically it’s too tough right now,” Murray said in his on-court interview after watching the video.
“I want to play my whole life, I love this sport. It has given me a lot, it has taught me a lot of lessons over the years, that I can use for the rest of my life. I don’t want to stop, that’s why it’s difficult.”
Grand Slam champions Novak Djokovic, Iga Świątek, Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe were just some of the famous faces in attendance at the short ceremony, and they joined thousands of fans in giving Murray a standing ovation.
Murray’s family, including his two young daughters, also watched the game from the stands.
“Mom and Dad were incredibly supportive when we were little, allowing us to pursue our dreams… Thank you, Mom and Dad,” Murray said through tears, before talking about his wife, Kim.
“She has been an incredible support to me and my whole family, she is the best mother. Unfortunately, in a few months, she will have to see me every day (…) I can’t wait to live the rest of our lives.”
Murray is likely to return to Centre Court on Saturday after signing up to play mixed doubles with fellow Briton Emma Raducanu.
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Murray watches a video montage of career highlights broadcast on the big screens at Wimbledon.
Over the years, the Wimbledon crowd has fallen in love with Murray.
He made his tournament debut in 2005 as a teenager and eventually became one of the best players in the world, at a time when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic were so dominant.
Murray reached his first singles final at Wimbledon in 2012, where he lost to Federer – a defeat that moved the British star to tears and somewhat changed the public’s perception of him.
A month later, Murray was back on the same court to win a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London.
The victory marked the start of a successful year for Murray, as he won the US Open, his first Grand Slam title.
He then returned to Wimbledon in 2013, where he ended a 77-year wait for a British men’s singles champion – an incredible moment now etched in the country’s history.
In 2016, Murray won his second Wimbledon title, a victory he considers his favourite.
Injuries have played a major role in recent seasons, however, and Murray has struggled to be competitive.
He had hoped to play singles at what would be his final Wimbledon this year but was unable to recover from back surgery last month.
He instead opted to play doubles – a shorter format – with his brother Jamie, but the pair were beaten in three sets – 7-6(8-6) 6-4 – by John Peers and Rinky Hijikata on Thursday.