Andy Murray makes Emma Raducanu confession after Wimbledon furore as he also defends his ‘best supporter’
Andy Murray has admitted that he has not spoken to Emma Raducanu since her infamous Wimbledon mixed doubles withdrawal although he insists he is “not frustrated or bitter” that his farewell match at SW19 never materialised. Having announced earlier in 2024 that this year’s Wimbledon would be his last, Murray signed up for a high-profile mixed doubles partnership with 2021 US Open winner Raducanu at the All England Club.
Following his first-round men’s doubles loss alongside his brother Jamie, the mixed doubles appearance was set to be his last at Wimbledon but Raducanu withdrew from the match as she wanted to protect her wrist ahead of her last-16 singles match against Lulu Sun. Although three-time Grand Slam winner Murray enjoyed a Centre Court farewell after the doubles encounter with Jamie, there was disappointment all-round that he would not get to play one last match.
Despite the unhappy ending, the former world No 1 says he “doesn’t have an issue” with Raducanu’s decision. “Everyone is going to look out for their best interests and what it is that they do. I understand that, and I don’t have an issue with that,” Murray said. “Getting to finish playing at Wimbledon on Centre Court with my brother was unbelievably special. That obviously wasn’t how I’d planned it. That’s how it ended up, and I’m really happy about that.
“I’m not frustrated or bitter about it. I’m happy that I got to finish playing at Wimbledon with my brother.” Murray, who has confirmed that the Paris Olympics will be his farewell tournament, was asked if he had spoken to Raducanu since and replied: “No. “I haven’t spoken to her since we chatted on the phone, when she told me she wasn’t going to play. We’ve not spoken (since)…”
Following Raducanu’s withdrawal, Murray’s mother Judy got caught up in a social media storm after she used the word “astonishing” to reply to a post about the news.BShe later clarified that she was using “sarcasm” and added in a new post: “Pretty sure the scheduling (4th match Court 1 with a singles the following day) will have played a major part in any decision-making.”
Murray defended his mother.
“At that moment, everyone’s really emotional because it’s the end of me playing at Wimbledon,” the 37-year-old said. “I’m aware there’s a much bigger picture out there but she’s my mum so she obviously cares a lot about me, and it’s been a huge part of my career as well. “What had happened in the 10 days in the build-up as well, I’d just had a surgery where I didn’t know if I was going to get the opportunity to play.
“Everyone’s emotions are obviously running high but my mum’s obviously always going to support me and look out for my best interests. She’s been the best supporter. “What Wimbledon did was unbelievably nice, and getting to finish playing at Wimbledon on Centre Court with my brother was unbelievably special and something we’d never experienced during our careers.”
