Injured Andy Murray’s ridiculous work ethic has never wavered

When Andy Murray announced himself at the top table of professional tennis he was 18 and a British wildcard entrant into the most prestigious tournament in the world.

Two sets to love up against Argentinian superstar David Nalbandian in the third round of Wimbledon he eventually ran out of gas losing in five sets but winning a legion of new fans.

He never lost a match from that position again.

Fast forward 20 years how Murray would love the chance to even compete for a place in the third round of the singles at the All England Club again.

This will be his last Wimbledon and he wants to go out playing and competing hard, with the grit that he has shown for all his spectacular career.

His latest injury setback, a spinal cyst that required an operation a week-and-a -half ago, arrived with appalling timing but the two-time Wimbledon champion, who ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s winner has approached the recovery with his typical single-mindedness. It may not be enough.

It took Murray several attempts to win his first grand slam, he lost his first four finals, crying on court after losing to Roger Federer at Wimbledon 2012, before getting revenge a few weeks later on the same court winning Olympic gold.

The US Open title followed in the autumn.

He lifted the Wimbledon trophy the following year, beating Novak Djokovic in a nerve-shredding final game where Murray needed four championship points to seal the victory.

He was champion on the grass at SW19 again three years later, defended his Olympic title that summer – the only man to ever do that – and went on to win the ATP Tour, which saw him become world number one.

In the golden era of Federer, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal he has held his own, not always winning the battles but making the big three work hard for their victories.

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But he hasn’t made it to the second week of a grand slam since 2017.

The Australian Open tried to prematurely retire him in 2019 with an awkward montage video after he’d given an emotional press conference, but his hip resurfacing operation happened a few weeks later, defying the medics who had told him it would be impossible to play top level singles tennis again by returning to the tour.

The wins though were a lot harder to come by with a metal hip.

His movement wasn’t the same and by his own high standards he’s never been able to consistently challenge the top players the way he would want to or the way he used to.

But his ridiculous work ethic has never wavered.

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An attention to detail and a willingness to overcome obstacles that would have ended the career of most others he has inspired a new generation of players, not only in this country but across the world.

He also never turns down an autograph, no matter how many kids are lined up, remembering how he felt when waiting in line for Andre Agassi’s signature as a youngster only to be left disappointed.

At the moment he is earmarked to play third on centre court at Wimbledon in the singles.

If Murray doesn’t make the singles, he’ll almost certainly play doubles with his brother Jamie here for the first and last time.

It would be a special way to say goodbye to Wimbledon and sign off on his grand slam career.