When Judy Murray characterized Emma Raducanu’s decision to withdraw from a mixed doubles match with her son, Andy Murray, as “astonishing”, her comment stirred controversy on social media. Many assumed that she was blaming Raducanu for impacting Andy’s Wimbledon swan song. Raducanu, however, explained that she withdrew due to discomfort in her right wrist, an area she had previously undergone surgery on.
But Judy, later, clarified that her earlier comment was uttered in pure sarcasm and somewhat misunderstood by the public. She explained that the last-minute scheduling of their match may have significantly influenced Raducanu’s decision.
Originally, it was expected that Raducanu and Andy Murray would play the first match at 1pm on that Saturday. This was done to avoid any scheduling conflict with England’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland. However, due to an inclement weather forecast and the need for their opponent, Marcelo Arévalo, to complete a men’s doubles match delayed by rain, the pair ended up being fourth on the roster.
Interestingly, Arévalo didn’t even step on court until 1pm to finish his men’s doubles match. If Andy is looking for someone to discuss this unfortunate circumstance with, he might want to consider speaking to retired former World no 1, John McEnroe, who partnered with Steffi Graf in the mixed doubles in 1999. After coming out from retirement, their electrifying performance captivated Wimbledon spectators.
Recalling the instance in his memoir, ‘Serious’, McEnroe described how she and Graf had succeeded in overcoming Venus Williams and Justin Gimelstob, heading towards the semi-finals. At this stage, they appeared poised to clinch the championship title. However, Graf decided for her own preservation to withdraw in order to prepare herself for the singles’ final the following day. “It’s too much, and it’s too late in the day – I’m defaulting”, she justified, breaking the news to McEnroe. The latter was extremely upset and continues to regret the forfeited chance till date. Graf, despite her decision to rest, couldn’t win the final and was defeated by Lindsay Davenport in continuous sets.
In a parallel incident, Murray was compelled to retire from the singles due to an injury. However, he was honoured with an emotional adieu on Centre Court. His doubles’ loss with his sibling, Jamie Murray on Thursday, was followed by a video tribute from sporting greats such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams. – Guardian