Andy Murray, Dan Evans succumb in first round of French Open doubles
At A Glance
- Murray and Dan Evans were defeated by Thiago Seyboth Wild and Sebastian Baez, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (3), in the first round of doubles.
PARIS (AP) — If this does turn out to be Andy Murray’s last French Open, it ended after two matches: one loss in singles and, on Friday, May 31, one loss in doubles.
Murray and Dan Evans were defeated by Thiago Seyboth Wild and Sebastian Baez, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (3), in the first round of doubles.
Murray, a three-time Grand Slam singles champion, was eliminated in the first round of singles by Stan Wawrinka in straight sets on Sunday night.
The 37-year-old Murray has said he thinks he probably will retire sometime this year. He has an artificial hip and has dealt with back issues this season.
He reiterated Friday that he wants to compete at the Paris Olympics, which will hold tennis matches at Roland Garros starting on July 27. That was why he and Evans got a wild-card invitation to compete in doubles at the French Open.
Murray won singles gold medals at the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the only player to win two consecutive tennis titles at the Summer Games.
“Me and Dan obviously were hoping to have a good run here. Yeah, it wasn’t to be. So don’t know if we’ll get the opportunity (to play doubles at the Olympics). There’s guys obviously ahead of us in the rankings, and we’ve got good doubles players in the U.K.,” Murray said. “Let’s see what happens.”
He now will turn his attention to grass courts and preparing to play at Wimbledon, where he won singles titles in 2013 and 2016. Murray was the first British man in 77 years to win the championship there. Play at the All England Club begins on July 1.
There is a chance, Murray said, that he could team up with his older brother, Jamie, in doubles at Wimbledon.
“My brother doesn’t have a partner for Wimbledon currently. We have spoken a little bit about it,” Murray said. “So may do that, but not 100% sure yet.”
Jamie, 38, is by far the more accomplished doubles player of the two: He reached No. 1 in those rankings and won two Grand Slam trophies in doubles in 2016, as well as five major titles in mixed doubles.
Jamie said Andy told him he wanted to play doubles at the French Open “because the Olympics for him are important and he wanted to show that he wanted to be in the team and also practice and prepare and not just turn up.”