Andy Murray a major doubt for final Wimbledon after retiring at Queen’s

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On Wednesday, Andy Murray withdrew from his second-round match at Queen's Club because of a back injury. This puts his appearance in the upcoming Wimbledon Championships in serious jeopardy.

During the warm-up, the 37-year-old was limping and it was evident that he was not fit for the match against his Australian rival, Jordan Thompson, as he could hardly move from the baseline after serving. This was highlighted from the start of the match. The player is a three-time Grand Slam champion.

Following three games of play, he requested medical attention due to discomfort in his back and lower right leg. The physiotherapist worked diligently to alleviate the pain, enabling the two-time Wimbledon champion to continue playing valiantly. However, during the fifth game changeover, he was ultimately forced to retire and shake hands. Remarkably, this is the first time in 11 years that Murray has had to abandon a match, and he will undergo a back scan on Thursday to assess the injury.

After winning a tournament he has conquered five times, Murray said farewell to a crowd of 10,000 people by giving them a wave. In an interview with the media, he confessed that he is not certain if he will participate in the upcoming Wimbledon tournament, which commences on 1 July, due to an ongoing problem with his back that has been troubling him for some time.

When asked if he will compete in Wimbledon, he replied that he is uncertain. He explained that he did not receive appropriate treatment for his back after the French Open, which took place a couple of weeks ago. As a tennis player, it is common to experience wear and tear on the joints in the back, and this has mainly affected his left side throughout his career. The right side has not posed many problems for him in the past.

There might be an opportunity for me to address the issue with my right side before the appointed time. I am scheduled for a scan tomorrow, which will give me an idea of what can be done. The exact nature of my problem is uncertain, and the back pain I am currently experiencing is an unfamiliar sensation. I am unsure about what steps to take or what outcomes to anticipate.

Murray was scheduled to participate in an exhibition match at Hurlingham, which could be his last competition before he retires, just before Wimbledon. Due to a back injury he suffered in 2017, the previous top-ranked player in the world has had trouble maintaining his physical fitness.

"I have been experiencing issues with my back for some time now," he stated. "I felt discomfort in my right leg, had difficulty controlling my movements, lacked coordination and ultimately, was immobile."

I've been struggling with my back for quite some time now. It has been hurting leading up to the tournament and was still pretty painful during my match yesterday. Even today it has been causing me discomfort, but I was able to handle it. Although playing was not easy, I was able to power through and manage the pain.

Before my match started, I was feeling quite uneasy. As I went upstairs to head onto the court, I noticed that my right leg didn't have its usual strength - this was an abnormal sensation for me. While warming up, I hit the first two balls but my right leg felt incredibly uncoordinated, almost as if it wasn't functioning properly.

Honestly, I regret going on the court. I only realized it when I was already walking towards it. Looking back, I wish I didn't go there. It made everyone feel uncomfortable, but there's nothing I can do about it now.

Murray, who is considered the best British tennis player in the modern era, announced before the Queen's tournament that he is planning to retire from professional tennis this summer after playing for two decades. He might choose to end his career either after Wimbledon or the Paris Olympics. Murray was scheduled to participate in the doubles event at the All England Club along with his older brother Jamie - this marks the first time the siblings would be playing together at a major tennis tournament.

On Tuesday, Murray achieved his initial triumph in a tour-level match after almost three months. He dominated over Alexei Popyrin in three sets and accomplished the game within an hour and 51 minutes. After the match, he didn't seem to exhibit any visible signs of discomfort.

However, things changed after 24 hours and it was obvious that Murray was in pain right from the beginning of the match. He didn't even try to position himself for a simple backhand shot after Thompson's return.

Murray managed to keep his serve intact in an impressive way during the third game, but his speed wasn't enough to catch the drop-shots as he usually does. Unfortunately, he appeared very unstable when moving from one side to the other. It was clear that he was having trouble and was likely going to retire from the match. This finally happened when Thompson was leading 4-1 in the first set.

Thompson stated that it was not the ideal way to go through, especially when competing against an exceptional champion like Andy.

It's a shame for a champion like him to end that way. I wish his last match at Queen's won't be his final one, and I have faith that it won't be. Let's hope we can see him play one more time.

Murray had plans of participating in doubles alongside his fellow countryman Dan Evans this week in Queen's. Unfortunately, Evans unfortunately hurt his right knee on Tuesday and couldn't play with Murray anymore. The incident saddens Evans and he will have to undergo a scan to determine the time he will have to stay off the court.