ZHUHAI, China (Reuters) – Briton Andy Murray said he hopes to play in his fifth and likely final Olympic Games in Paris next year, after the two-times gold medallist endured disappointment in Tokyo due to injury.
The 36-year-old Scot claimed his first gold at the London Games in 2012 and backed it up with another at Rio 2016, but he pulled out of the singles competition in Tokyo two years ago with a thigh strain.
Murray continued to compete in the doubles tournament with Joe Salisbury in Japan, where the pair reached the quarter-finals.
“I’d love to play another Olympics. I’ve had thrilling experiences throughout my career at the Olympics. I’ve loved every single one I’ve been involved in,” Murray said at the Zhuhai Championships.
“I was really disappointed last time. I’d gotten an injury before the tournament and I promised my partner I’d prioritise the doubles over singles if there was a problem. And we were very close to getting a medal in the doubles.
“We were up a set and 4-3, serving with game points in the quarter-finals and we had a really good chance and didn’t quite do it. I’d love another opportunity to play next year in Paris. It would be my fifth Olympics and most likely the last one.”
Three-times Grand Slam champion and former world number one Murray has fought his way up the world rankings since having hip resurfacing surgery in 2019 and is currently 41st.
Last week, he helped guide Britain into the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup where they will take on Serbia in November.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonali Paul)
