Andy Murray calls Carlos Alcaraz his "favorite athlete" as he meets up with the Spaniard in Paris ahead of the Olympics
Carlos Alcaraz has had a brilliant 2024 so far. The 21-year-old won the French Open and Wimbledon titles, increasing his Grand Slam tally to four. The two-time Olympic gold medalist Andy Murray was full of praise for Alcaraz, who will be making his debut at the Games.
Murray, who is gearing up for his final competitive tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics, recently met Alcaraz ahead of the Olympics and took to his Instagram to share a photo with the young Spaniard, referring to him as his 'favorite athlete'.
"Managed to grab a photo with my favourite athlete @carlitosalcarazz," Murray captioned the post.
Andy Murray announced his plans to retire from the sport after the 2024 Olympics, marking the end of an illustrious era. The former World No. 1 has had a remarkable career, with 3 Grand Slam titles and 3 Olympic medals, he will be looking to leave the game on a high note in Paris.
Andy Murray's emotional message upon announcing retirement from the game
37-year-old Andy Murray announced his decision to retire from the sport after the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday. Considered one of the greatest British athletes, Murray ended Great Britain's 77-year Wimbledon drought in 2013 by defeating Novak Djokovic in straight sets. He further went on to clinch his second Wimbledon title in 2016.
Andy Murray bid an emotional farewell to Wimbledon after playing his final match at the All-England club earlier this month. Murray teamed up with his brother Jamie for his last game at the center court. During the post-match presentation, a teary-eyed Murray addressed the crowd and said,
"It is hard because I want to keep playing, but I can't. Physically it's too tough now. I want to play forever, I love the sport," Murray said.
The veteran later reiterated his decision to retire after announcing the Paris Olympics as his final tournament via his X (Formerly Twitter) handle.
"Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament @Olympics. Competing for (Britain) has been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get do it one final time!" he wrote.
Andy Murray will be joined by a star-studded British team comprising of youth and experience with stars like Dan Evans, Jake Draper Katie Boulter, and Cameron Norrie.