Andy Murray obliterates his racket … on his way to the net to congratulate his opponent
Andy Murray was heard breaking rackets in the parking lot at the 2023 Paris Masters after losing a tight three-set battle against Alex de Minaur in the first round of the tournament.
The former World No. 1 has had to deal with a lot of disappointment this season. The Brit, along with many others, believed he was on his best form since he underwent hip surgery in 2017. Although he demonstrated this with some incredible shots and the ability to take many of his matches to three sets, the 36-year-old has not seen the results for which he was hoping.
Some of his biggest disappointments included a close-knit defeat in the second round of Wimbledon against Stefanos Tsitsipas and four losses to World No. 12 de Minaur, meaning he now trails 0-6 in their overall head-to-head.
As a result, Murray's frustration has been on clear display in his most recent matches. This was especially the case in his clash with de Minaur last week in Paris. After the 24-year-old won the first set on a tiebreak, Murray fought back to win the second. He then led 5-2 but failed to serve out the match twice, instead proceeding to lose five straight games as his opponent ultimately bested him and won the match 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5.
Afterward, the three-time Grand Slam champion was seen destroying a racket on the court before revealing to reporters that he hadn't been enjoying tennis in recent months.
Following this, Eurosport presenter Alize Lim revealed that Murray's disappointment had "chilled" her and that she had heard him breaking rackets "in the parking lot".
"There is an image that struck me a little and chilled me – it was Andy Murray who broke his racket after the match point against Alex De Minaur, and I was in the mixed zone, ready to do the interview of the winner at that moment, and I saw him pass and there, truly, his disappointment pierced my heart."
"I heard him break his rackets, behind, in the parking lot. And it really showed his motivation and how important it is to him. It also brought back some very bad memories for me too," she said.
Andy Murray obliterates his racket … on his way to the net to congratulate his opponent