Andy Murray would be a perfect fit for the Nitto ATP Finals' picture this week at O2 Arena in London. But, the lack of any official action since July took its toll while the hip injury puts some question marks above his longevity as a top tennis player. Aged 30, Andy Murray went fro a peaking trend to a complete meltdown. And the issues had started way before that hip injury got worse. Somehow, he couldn't handle the pressure and the zoomed-in attention once he became the world No. 1 at the of 2016. Twelve months later, he faces an uncertain future.
The lack of activity plunged his ranking, and he will end the chapter of 2017 on the 16th slot.
A long-awaited comeback doesn't guarantee full success
In what seems to be a strange way of seeing things, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic come as a package deal. They were those who kept the flag last year when Federer and Nadal were off the stage working on their own health issues and long-term strategies. Now, somehow, the artificial construction called the Big Four swapped places. Federer and Nadal are in charge of the high-quality tennis output while Djokovic and Murray are still making adjustments after having spent similar breaks. The Serb and the Brit both made their last official appearances earlier this year at Wimbledon, and they were both ousted in the quarterfinals of the event.
The earlier stages of 2017 saw Murray struggling to cope with his new status, and things didn't turn up well for him. In less than two months, he will resume action in Brisbane as a warm-up for the Australian Open and once again he will have to joggle through a huge load of pressure. What's even more intriguing is that he can afford any wrongdoing in the early stages as that ranking needs immediate improvement.
The retirement is a natural finality
For Andy Murray, the moment to retire from professional tennis may not be that far in the future. Best case scenario would give few more years at the top, but any further health issue may jeopardize the entire business as well.
He has been around for over a decade, and in that chunk of time, he had quite a ride.
It's not easy to be competing in the same era with some of the greatest in tennis history, and that's why, in the end, Andy Murray should get all the credit. Those three Grand Slam singles titles may be a thin harvest, but he compensated in other areas like the Olympics where he is a two-time gold medalist in singles, something no one has ever achieved yet.
Not in his peak anymore, Murray saw his family growing fast. He had his second child coming into this world a few weeks back. Five years from now, Andy Murray might be one of those glorious players who has decided to call it a career.
