LONDON: Andy Murray launches his Wimbledon farewell alongside his brother Jamie in the men’s doubles on Thursday as Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek target the third round.
Murray, the champion in 2013 and 2016, was desperate for one last crack at the singles but ran out of time after recent surgery to remove a spinal cyst.
The British former world number one still has a chance to wave goodbye to his adoring fans in both the men’s doubles and mixed doubles as he treads the turf for a final time, 19 years after his Wimbledon debut.
“I’m hoping maybe for a bit of closure. I just want the opportunity to play one more time out there, hopefully on Centre Court, and feel that buzz,” the 37-year-old said before the tournament started.
Murray is a three-time Grand Slam singles champion but has form in the doubles – teaming up with Jamie to help Britain win the 2015 Davis Cup.
Andy Murray gets fans’ vote as Brits take centre stage at Wimbledon
The Murrays will face Australian pair Rinky Hijikata and John Peers on Thursday, with the decibel count expected to soar.
Andy Murray is also scheduled to play mixed doubles with British compatriot and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Djokovic cruise
Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic is back in action against British rookie Jacob Fearnley on day four of the tournament.
The Serb’s injury at the French Open – forcing him to pull out before his quarter-final against Casper Ruud – raised doubts over whether he would be fit for Wimbledon.
But just weeks after he had a knee operation, it was business as usual for the 37-year-old in the first round.
He dropped just five games against Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva in an emphatic display of his ageless power.
The world number two is seeking to equal Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon men’s titles and is aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic was pretty relaxed about the prospect of facing Fearnley, who can boast wins over defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and world number one Jannik Sinner in his junior days.
“I haven’t seen him hit,” he said. “I don’t know really anything about him so I’ll have to do my homework.
“Obviously him being British, he’s going to have the crowd. You never like to play the British at Wimbledon. But, you know, I’m looking forward.”
Women’s world number one Swiatek, who has never been beyond the quarter-finals at the All England Club, is on a winning streak of 20 matches after a comfortable straight-sets victory over Sofia Kenin.
The top-seeded Pole, chasing a sixth Grand Slam title, faces Croatia’s Petra Martic on Centre Court after Djokovic starts the programme.
British players dominate the early action on Court No. 1, with the country’s women’s number one, Katie Boulter, taking on compatriot Harriet Dart.
They will be followed by Jack Draper, Britain’s leading man, who plays Cameron Norrie, a semi-finalist at his home Grand Slam in 2022.
French Open runner-up Alexander Zverev, the Wimbledon fourth seed, is last on the list on Court One, taking on US player Marcos Giron, ranked 46th.
Elena Rybakina, the 2022 women’s champion, plays Germany’s Laura Siegemund while two-time finalist Ons Jabeur takes on US qualifier Robin Montgomery.
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