Former British No 1 Laura Robson has weighed in on the debate around Andy Murray’s tennis future, arguing he doesn’t face the same criticism as Stan Wawrinka despite being at similar places in their careers.
The Sky Sports Tennis pundit believes the three-time Grand Slam champion can still achieve good results despite a winless start to 2024.
Robson compared him to another three-time Slam winner, Swiss Stan Wawrinka, who has had a similar battle with injuries over the past few years but moved from outside the top 300 in 2022 to back into the top 50 last year.
Robson told Express Sport: “He’s still ranked pretty high as well. This is what I feel like people don’t necessarily get is that he’s actually doing well. Maybe not these standout results you would expect from someone who’s won as many Slams as him but at the same time, Stan Wawrinka is in a very similar position.”
The pair were widely considered the only two players to seriously challenge the ‘Big Three’ of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal during their decade of dominance on the ATP Tour, leading to the nickname the ‘Big Five’.
Referring to Wawrinka, Robson added: “I felt like no one’s really asking when he’s going to retire and that line of questioning doesn’t really come up as much for whatever reason.
“So I feel like Andy has got a lot of life left in him and I think he’s got a tournament in mind that he’s hoping to stop at but that pathway changes constantly.”
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Murray has previously suggested 2024 is likely to be his last year on tour but has not given a definitive statement about retirement, leading to much speculation among fans and pundits.
The 2012 Olympic singles gold medallist lost 5-7, 4-6 to 23-year-old Czech Tomas Machac in the opening round of the Marseille ATP 250 event last week. It was his fourth consecutive opening-round defeat and added to a winless run in 2024.
The world number 50 has lost his last six competitive matches and nine of his last 10 going back to September, but was also the only player to take a set off eventual Brisbane International champion Grigor Dimitrov in January.
Murray responded defiantly to a recent BBC Sport article suggesting he should call it quits, which argued he risked “tarnishing his legacy” by continuing despite his disappointing run of results.
The former world No 1 replied on X, formerly Twitter: “Tarnishing my legacy? Do me a favour.”
He added: “Most people would quit and give up in my situation right now. But I’m not most people and my mind works differently. I won’t quit. I will keep fighting and working to produce the performances I know I’m capable of.”
And former Wimbledon junior winner Robson has echoed his views alongside fellow former British number one Tim Henman.
Robson reached a career-high ranking of world number 27 in 2013 and partnered Murray in the mixed doubles at the 2012 London Olympics, where they won a silver medal.
By Flo Clifford (@floclifford_ on X)
