There’s a few different notes on which to retire.
There’s the perfect way; for an athlete to go out on their own terms, at a time of their choosing, when they feel like they’ve achieved everything they want to in their chosen sport.
Then there’s the ones who retire because they’re just not good enough anymore. They might still be able to compete, but as winning becomes less and less frequent, they decide it’s time to call it a day.
And then there’s the nightmare scenario; being forced to retire through injury.
This is, there’s no question, the very worst of all worlds for any elite athlete.
At the best of times, sporting careers are short but when they’re cut even shorter, it can feel catastrophic for the athlete involved.
It’s this third scenario that Andy Murray is currently being faced with.
During his third-round loss in Miami to Tomas Machac earlier this week, Murray hurt his ankle, an injury that’s turned out to be more serious than most onlookers first thought.
“Towards the end of my match in Miami I suffered a full rupture of my ATFL and near full thickness rupture of my CFL,” he wrote on social media.
“Goes without saying this is a tough one to take and I’ll be out for an extended period,” he continued before insisting he’ll be back in action when he regains fitness.
So, despite what must be a hugely demoralising setback – reports have suggested he could be out for up to a year – Murray clearly feels he has the drive and commitment to go through the weeks upon weeks of rehab work that’ll be required for him to return to full fitness.
We shouldn’t be surprised.
