Those taking a pop at tennis star Emma Raducanu for her last-minute decision to withdraw from a mixed-doubles match alongside Andy Murray – effectively ending his Wimbledon career – are out of order. It is not Raducanu’s fault that her pulling out of the match, scheduled for Saturday evening, brings the curtain down on Murray’s illustrious career at Wimbledon. The British tennis star is worried about a potential problem with her wrist (understandable given her injury record since winning the 2021 US Open), and decided to prioritise her upcoming match in the women’s singles.
It is unfair of Murray’s mother, Judy, to describe Raducanu’s move as ‘astonishing’
It is perfectly normal for tennis stars to focus on the singles competition over the doubles and mixed doubles. It is unfair of Murray’s mother, Judy, to describe Raducanu’s move as ‘astonishing’. It is only fair to wonder whether Judy would feel the same way if Murray, a two-time singles champion at Wimbledon and former world No , had opted to focus on the singles at Wimbledon at the height of his career.
Raducanu blamed ‘some stiffness’ in her right wrist for her decision to pull out of the match. Those raising eyebrows at this explanation need to remember that she missed Wimbledon last year after having surgery on both wrists.
‘I have decided to make the very tough decision to withdraw from the mixed doubles,’ she said. ‘I’m disappointed as I was really looking forward to playing with Andy but I’ve got to take care.’
That surely is the critical point. Raducanu has been plagued by injuries but is looking back to her best at Wimbledon this year. She moved into the fourth round of the women’s singles with a dominant two-set win over Greek ninth seed Maria Sakkari on Friday. Her decision will also have been influenced – and rightly so – by this weekend’s schedule. Playing the mixed-doubles with Murray would have meant playing in the fourth match of the day on Court One: that guarantees a long day of preparation and a match potentially running late into the evening. This plays havoc with crucial recovery time ahead of the next time she hits the courts. She should not be subject to criticism for prioritising her fitness ahead of a crucial singles match.
Why else has Raducanu withdrawing late in the day caused such a furore? For a number of reasons, none of which are her fault. Murray is playing at SW19 for the last time. The three-time major champion is due to retire later this year, with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games set to be his final event. He was forced to pull out of the singles on Monday with a back injury, before losing alongside his brother Jamie in the first round of the men’s doubles. He admitted it was proving ‘too tough’ for him to continue. Playing in the mixed doubles alongside Raducanu was meant to be something of a celebratory climax to Murray’s Wimbledon career. Under tournament rules, he is not permitted to find a replacement partner because the draw had already been made, so Murray and Raducanu were replaced by an alternate pairing.
One feels for Murray, of course, and he is understandably said to be ‘absolutely devastated’ at the news. It is also a blow to the spectators looking forward to a fun mixed-doubled match featuring two of British tennis’s greatest stars and prize draws. It would certainly have made for a fitting and glorious finale to Murray’s Wimbledon career. That is not Raducanu’s problem though: she is an elite athlete in a highly competitive and ruthless sport. She must be able to do what she feels is right for her in order to maximise her chances of winning Wimbledon. There is no room for sentimentality in tennis or any other elite sport, and it is not Raducanu’s role in life to form part of a tribute act to Murray, however much she likes and respects him. He of all people would surely understand the ruthless single- mindedness required to rise to the top in tennis or any other sport. Murray is at the end of a glorious career; Raducanu is just starting hers. She is well within her rights to focus solely on the singles competition, and not take any undue risks with her fitness given her past record with injuries. After all, she is at Wimbledon to win the tournament. Her critics need to pipe down.
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