Serena Williams sends heartfelt message to Andy Murray after Wimbledon farewell | Tennis | Sport

Murray doesn’t want to retire, but he has been battling serious injuries for several years and is preparing to end his career. The 37-year-old will retire as a legend of the sport, and his compatriot Williams sent him a touching message in a video posted on social media.

“Congratulations to you, Andy Murray, on an incredible career. I have to say I always loved watching you play,” Williams said. “One of the main reasons is that you were one of the few players who was angrier than me on the court. Which is very hard to do.”

“I might have a bit of an attitude like mine, I’m just saying. But for me it was the most exciting thing to watch and I had the pleasure of playing mixed doubles alongside you, which was a fantastic experience to do at Wimbledon.

“It was one of the highlights of my life. I am so grateful to have had this experience and I also have a special place in my heart for you because you always speak up for women. And everything women deserve.

“You were the leader in this area and the things that you talked about, the things that you said about me and Venus… about how we were so inspiring and what we meant to you, it really went a long way in my heart. I will always be grateful for that.”

“The support you gave me, the support you gave women and the enthusiasm you brought to tennis. Seeing you win Wimbledon and the US Open and those gold medals, it was so exciting and I really enjoyed it.

“I have always been a huge fan, as you already know, and I will always encourage you in whatever you decide to do. Congratulations on such an incredible career.”

Murray has always been a huge supporter of Williams and earned immense respect when a reporter told him he was the first person to win two Olympic gold medals in tennis. Murray corrected the reporter, who was only thinking about the men’s competition, and replied: “I think Venus and Serena have won about four each.”

As a true competitor, retirement is a difficult decision, but Murray admitted that his body decides his future for him.

“It’s tough because I would love to keep playing, but I can’t. Physically it’s too tough right now,” Murray said on Centre Court on Thursday. “I want to play for the rest of my life, I love this game. It’s given me so much, it’s taught me so many lessons over the years that I can use in the rest of my life. I don’t want to stop, so it’s tough.”