Paris [France], August 2 : Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic on Friday extended his congratulations and a heartwarming message to British tennis legend Andy Murray on the conclusion of a successful career.
Murray retired from professional tennis after he and his partner Dan Evans lost out to the American pair of Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul in the quarterfinal of the men's doubles at the Paris Olympics Thursday.
In a video posted by ATP, Djokovic lauded Murray for a successful career, which saw him win Grand Slam titles, and Olympic gold medals and secure the world number one ranking.
"Andy, we were all hoping that this moment will never come, but here it is. I just want to say congratulations for an amazing career, multiple Grand Slams, number one in the world, two Olympic gold medals, Davis Cup. I mean, you have done it all. Amazing. Congratulations to you, and to your family," said Djokovic.
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Djokovic, who has a great 25-11 ATP head-to-head record against Murray, recalled that they were 11 years of age when they first met on the court and how they went on to have a great rivalry later on.
He also recalled Murray defeating him to win the Wimbledon 2013 men's singles final and bringing the title to the UK after 77 years.
"You brought Wimbledon title to Britain and to the UK after 77 years, unfortunately, against me in the finals. But it was quite a special historic moment that I cherish, that I was really grateful to be part of," he added.
Djokovic said that Murray can be proud of the "incredible resilience and fighting spirit and inspiration" he showcased in his career.
"After all the hardship that you went through, surgery, the restrictions in your movement, you still kept going. You still have shown to everyone that, you know, there is no letting go, no giving up. So kudos to you and and all the best to you and your family and you deserve the best possible farewell. Bye bye, my friend," he concluded.
Murray and Evans lost to Fritz-Paul by 6-2, 6-4.
The 37-year-old retired as one of the game's modern-day greats, having secured two Wimbledon titles (2013 and 2016) and a US Open title in 2012.
Murray achieved a peak ranking of number one in his career.
Also in the Olympics, Murray won two gold medals in men's singles tennis, having beat Roger Federer in the 2012 London Olympics final and Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in the 2016 Rio Olympics. He also partnered with Great Britain's Laura Robson to secure a mixed doubles silver medal.
Murray also had big rivalries with the 'Big Three' of modern tennis, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Federer.
Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said on Murray that he has been an "inspiring and an important force" in the sport for so many years.
"He has embodied the values of hard work, sportsmanship, and never giving up - with his unwavering love for the game endearing him to millions of fans. His remarkable achievements on the court over the past two decades speak for themselves. Equally, it is his contributions off the court, building up the next generation of athletes and championing important causes, that will define his legacy. Congratulations to Andy on an extraordinary career. Our sport has been incredibly fortunate to watch you play, and we look forward with great excitement for what is next in your story," he said
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