What Does Andy Murray’s Wimbledon Return Tell Us About His Future?

Andy Murray’s run to the third round of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships may have been modest in elite tennis terms but it marked a significant moment in the player’s career. What’s more, it was a joyful and emotional sight for tennis fans who feared they might not get to see the three-time Grand Slam winner on the big stage again. There was a time when those fears were founded as Murray’s career ground to a halt in 2017 due to injuries.

Yet, after finally returning to Wimbledon after a four-year journey marked by cycles of surgery and recovery, there are no guarantees that Murray will even continue in the sport beyond this year. With old rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer still dominating the Wimbledon 2021 men's betting markets, and Rafa Nadal still contesting Grand Slam finals, Andy Murray may feel the hill is too high to climb.

Although he got through three rounds unscathed and looked in good physical shape, the Brit was not happy with his performance in the third-round defeat to Denis Shapovalov and will not be content with putting in body-crushing displays just to exit in the early rounds of events. Unless he truly believes he can continue improving and competing for titles, the 34-year-old might prefer to call it a day at some point in 2021, rather than face further disappointment. Murray had been working with increasing intensity in the gym and expected to push Shapovalov a little closer in his third-round match. Instead, he found himself on the end of a straight sets defeat to the world No. 10, although the Canadian was clearly fresher having skipped the second round after his opponent dropped out.

On a positive note, the time on court will have done Murray good; in particular the five-set marathon against Oscar Otte in round two. The German is currently ranked 152 in the world, while Murray has risen to 118, giving us a good indication of the level Murray is at right now. Remarkably, it was only Murray’s second excursion to the third round of an ATP event since he beat Stan Wawrinka at the European Open in Antwerp back in 2019.

Murray has hinted that he is not ready to throw in the towel just yet and acknowledged that he needs to stay on the court for three or four months to get his tennis back to the desired level. A trip to Tokyo in pursuit of a third Olympic gold medal could be an important step in his self-assessment ahead of the late summer and autumn schedule, which could include a shot at the BNP Paribas Open in October.

If Murray can stay fit and continue improving his game, we could see him competing at more Grand Slams, while further injury setbacks could force him to reassess his future in the game. With luck, it will be the former and there will be much more to come from one of the great players of the modern era.