Mats Wilander's perfect world for Andy Murray might be Murray's nightmare

No one beats Father Time. No matter how great a player might have been, the ability to always stay that way is impossible. Andy Murray was once one of the best players in his sport and he remained so for many years, but he simply has not been the same since a hip injury derailed his 2018 campaign. The Scot has also had to deal with a number of other injuries over the course of his career. This includes a recent rupture of the Anterior Talo-Fibular ligament in his left ankle.

Still, Murray cannot seem to quit tennis. He has hinted at retirement before, even in the excellent documentary about his recovery from the painful hip surgery, Andy Murray: Resurfacing. But he keeps coming back and playing though his results do not seem to ever get much better. He has earned the right, as much as any player, to decide when he is going to retire, of course, but he just does not appear quite ready.

He has been honest about his frustration with not winning. Murray has stated he has not been having much "fun" in showing up to tournaments only to get bounced out early because he simply cannot move around as well as he once did. Maybe he has an idea of when he will retire, and he just hasn't shared it. He doesn't have to; when to leave the game is his decision.

Mats Wilander might have a perfect ending for Andy Murray but Murray isn't ready to end

Recently, however, former ATP No. 1 Mats Wilander weighed in on what he sees as a "perfect world" for Andy Murray to stop playing professional tennis. Wilander might be a good judge of when to quit as well. After a dominant 1988, he never won a Grand Slam again but he didn't stop playing until 1996. He was only 32 years old, however; Murray is 36.

Speaking recently with Eurosport, Wilander said of Murray, "I would like to see him retire with some kind of a medal at the Olympics in Paris with a British flag around him...For me to see Andy Murray wave goodbye is first of all going to be very sad. And someone that’s gone through so much pain and that has made it back nearly all the way deserves so much credit. I think his dream retirement in my perfect world would be at the Olympics."

Wilander's thought is a nice one, but one Murray would would likely not enjoy. He seemingly truly loves tennis and he obviously wants to keep playing, but he also wants to improve and win. He could have quit a long time ago as he certainly can afford to. But he keeps going and winning a medal at the Olympics might only assure him he should continue. Sadly, with his new injury, the dream of winning a medal at the Olympics seems gone now, too.

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