One of Label’s Head of Social Media, Emma Ames, talks us through the accomplishments of one of Britains most well-known sportsperson.
Earlier this month, Andy Murray announced his retirement with a heavy heart in a teary-eyed press conference. Murray decided on his retirement due to complications with his hip, an injury he had surgery for in 2018 in order to carry on with his tennis career. However, after coping with chronic pain for many years from elbow and hip injuries, he has finally decided to hand in his racket so he can have a better quality of life following a second operation to ease the hip injury. Though there is the hopeful possibility that the hip-shaving operation, to ease the joint, may allow him to play again, it may not be at the professional level he has maintained throughout his career.
Whether he makes a wonderful return or not, Andy Murray will be remembered as one of the best tennis players of his generation. And while his career may be coming to an end, we will never forget his many amazing achievements.
At the 2012 US Open, Murray was the first British player to win a Grand Slam singles tournament since 1977. He was the only British male to become a Grand Slam singles champion during the Open Era and followed this success with a 2013 Wimbledon Championships win.
He was the first tennis player and only man in history to win two Olympic Gold Medals in singles and playing on two different surfaces.
In 2016, he was the only man in history to win singles titles at a Grand Slam, the Olympics, a Masters 1000 event and the World Tour Finals in the same year.
It’s no wonder after all of those achievements that he was knighted in 2017 for services to tennis and charity. Despite all of these achievements, he has remained modest and kind, showing constant support for his fellow tennis players and a strong advocate for the recognition of female tennis players and their achievements such as Serena and Venus Williams.
Murray has also done his fair share of charity work during his tennis career. He became a UNICEF ambassador in 2016 and has raised over £1 million for the charity since then through exhibition matches and charity sponsors. He is one of the founding members for Malaria No More. He regularly participates in Comic Relief and Make-A-Wish has a sporting hero to many sick or under-privileged children across the UK.
While we lose a beloved sporting figure, we can hope that he stills continues to be involved in the game he loves so much. If unable to return to the highest levels of professional tennis, it may be that he takes up coaching, participates in more charity events, or even becomes a commentator, like many other sportsman.
Featured image by: Omeiza Haruna
