Andy Murray’s mother, Judy Murray, was unhappy with Emma Raducanu’s decision to withdraw from her son’s Wimbledon farewell tournament in mixed doubles.
Murray, 37, has indicated that this will be his last Wimbledon. Despite undergoing back surgery about two weeks ago following his retirement at Queen’s, he defied the odds to recover in time to play at the All England Club, albeit in doubles with his brother Jamie.
He was not fit enough to compete in singles and withdrew from his scheduled first-round match against Tomas Machac. The three-time Grand Slam champion was willing to risk his future health to play one more Wimbledon, although doubles was seen as less demanding for his operated back.
Andy and his older brother Jamie bowed out from their first-round match in doubles on Centre Court on Thursday in front of a packed British public and tennis royalty that included one of his rivals, Novak Djokovic.
Murray was afforded a befitting sendoff whereby the tournament organized a special ceremony at the end of his match and spoke fondly of his career, the tournament, and his family with the legendary presenter Sue Barker.
In his mind, the Scot knew he still had one more match to play in mixed doubles together with WTA star Emma Raducanu, who honored his request to play in a text message.
But the 2021 US Open champion withdrew from the mixed doubles tournament on match day, citing stiffness in her wrist. Raducanu had been practicing with a strapping on her wrist on Saturday morning, just hours before she penned a statement confirming her withdrawal.
The news sparked a bitter reaction from Murray’s mother, Judy, who responded to a tweet by tennis reporter Marcus Buckland, concurring that the 21-year-old’s late withdrawal was “astonishing” as it all but sealed the former World No. 1’s Wimbledon adventure.
“Astonishing news that Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from her mixed doubles match with Andy Murray. She’s citing soreness in her right wrist. It means Murray has played his last match at Wimbledon. Oh dear!”
“Yes, astonishing.”
