Scott Barbour/Getty ImagesAndy Murray is retiring from tennis.
The pro tearfully announced his plans at an emotional press conference in Melbourne, Australia on Friday and cited his hip injury as his reason for stepping away from the sport.
Breaking the news clearly wasn't easy for the athlete. After answering a few initial questions in which he revealed he was "not great," he stepped away from the microphone to wipe away a tear and gather his thoughts.
"I'm not feeling good," he admitted once he returned. "I've obviously been struggling for a long time. I've been in a lot of pain for what's been probably about 20 months now. I've pretty much done everything that I could to try to get my hip feeling better and, you know, it hasn't helped loads. I'm in a better place than I was six months ago, but, you know, still in a lot of pain. It's been, you know, it's been tough."
Murray then told reporters he had spoken to his team and revealed he "can't keep doing this." Knowing he "needed to have an end point," the 31-year-old tennis star decided he wanted to make it through to Wimbledon.
"That's where I'd like to stop and stop playing," he said, "but I'm also not certain I'm able to do that."
According to ESPN, he then said he intended to play in his Australian Open match against Roberto Bautista Agut on Monday; however, he hinted even this could be his last tournament.
"There's a chance for sure," he said, per the sports media outlet, "because I'm not sure I'm able to play through the pain for another four or five months. I have an option to have another operation, which is a little more severe than I had before, having my hip resurfaced, which will allow me to have a better quality of life and be out of pain. That's something I'm seriously considering."
After the press conference, Murray took to social media to share a selfie of himself and his mother and express his gratitude for his fans' support.
"Best way to feel better after a tough day is a big cuddle from your mum," he wrote. "Genuinely been very touched by all of the messages and support from everybody today...It means a lot and has made me feel much more positive than when I woke this morning. Thank you so much."
Murray won the U.S. Open in 2012 and Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016. He also has two Olympic gold medals.
He underwent surgery for his hip last January. Per the BBC, he's played in 14 matches since returning to the sport in June.