"Andy Murray deserves a great farewell... he's a legend of our sport" - Novak Djokovic on rival's Wimbledon swansong amid 'worrying' injury concerns
Novak Djokovic has shared his thoughts on rival Andy Murray's participation at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. Murray recently underwent a surgery to remove a cyst in his back, and has said that he will wait until the last minute to confirm his participation at the prestigious grasscourt Major, which he won in 2013 and then again in 2016.
Djokovic and Murray have grown up playing against each other, and the two formed one of the biggest rivalries during the Big Four era, where the Serb and the Brit, along with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, dominated men's tennis. Djokovic leads the head-to-head with Murray 25-11.
However, it was against the Serb that the Brit enjoyed the first two of his three Grand Slam title triumphs (2012 US Open and 2013 Wimbledon).
Things though, are radically different now. While both Djokovic and Murray are 37, their current positions in men's tennis are poles apart. The Serb, despite a disappointing 2024 season so far, is still vying for titles and is the World No. 2. However, Murray has struggled with injuries since 2017.
Despite having undergone two hip surgeries to continue playing, the Brit is a mere shadow of the player he once used to be.
Earlier this year, Murray had stated that it was likely that he would bid farewell to tennis following the conclusion of the ongoing season's summer swing. Many expect the 2024 Wimbledon Championships to be his last competitive outing at SW19. Recently, Djokovic paid a glowing tribute to Murray, saying that the Brit "deserves a great farewell from his favorite tournament". The Serb also hailed Murray as a tennis "legend".
"I heard he underwent a surgery a week ago or less than a week ago. That was worrying, but the fact that he can hit the ball is a great sign, and he definitely deserves a great farewell from his favorite tournament, a tournament he won twice. And, you know, he won the Olympic Games here. He's definitely a legend of our sport," Djokovic told Sky Sports Tennis.
The 24-time Major winner also expressed his belief that Murray "should finish (his career) on his own terms" before wishing the Brit "all the best" going forward.
"He should finish on his own terms. Whether this is the last tournament for him here in Wimbledon or he's going to still play, that's up to him really. We all hope that he is going to be physically fit enough to finish on his own terms and I wish him all the best," the World No. 2 concluded.
Andy Murray refused to buy "changing of the guard" hype surrounding Novak Djokovic last year
After Carlos Alcaraz defeated Djokovic to clinch the 2023 Wimbledon crown, there were suggestions in the tennis world that the young Spaniard's monumental win marked the beginning of a new era. However, following Djokovic's 2023 US Open triumph, Murray said that he never took the suggestions seriously.
"I said that after Wimbledon, everyone was saying it was a changing of the guard, but it wasn't for me. It was quite clear Novak had won two of the first three Slams and was very, very close in the final of Wimbledon," Murray told BBC Sport.
The Brit also predicted that the Serb would go on to win more Majors.
"I don't think he's going to stop at 24 titles but you never know how long it will last. Physically, motivation, whether someone like Alcaraz improves - he's an amazing player Alcaraz, he's brilliant, but to do what Novak is doing on a consistent basis is different," Murray added.
Djokovic is slated to start his 2024 Wimbledon campaign against qualifier Vit Kopriva on Monday, July 1. The next day, Murray is scheduled to play Czech Republic's Tomas Machac in the opening round of the grass-court Major.