Chris Evert's ex-husband John Lloyd recently expressed his views on Andy Murray facing yet another setback in his bid to end his career on a high note.
On Monday (March 25), Murray exited the Miami Open in the third round after losing 7-5, 5-7, 6-7(5) to Tomas Machac in three hours and 28 minutes. While the Brit gave a valiant effort, his performance was marred by a serious ankle injury in the dying moments of the third set.
Andy Murray, who plans to retire from pro tennis at some point this year, later revealed on his Instagram handle that he would be out of action for an "extended period".
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"Yesterday, towards the end of my match in Miami I suffered a full rupture of my ATFL and near full thickness rupture of my CFL. I will see an ankle specialist when I return home to determine next steps," Andy Murray wrote.
"Goes without saying this is a tough one to take and I’ll be out for an extended period. But I’ll be back with 1 hip and no ankle ligaments when the time is right 😉," he added.
Against that background, former British tennis pro John Lloyd has lamented the World No. 1's recent injury while speaking on the 'Tennis Channel Inside-Inn' podcast.
Lloyd wished the three-time Major winner wouldn't share the same fate as Roger Federer, who ended his tennis career without a proper send-off at the Grand Slams due to persistent knee injuries.
"But it almost, like, feels like he [Andy Murray] has been cheated of a few years! And he has actually. And so, it's like, 'I still believe in myself that I can still create some damage.' So, this was a big blow... I know he wanted to make a big splash on the grass courts, obviously. Even the French Open would've been his last. I hope he at least gets to a 100% before the grasscourt season. That would be horrendous [if he doesn't]."
He added:
"It's almost like [Roger] Federer didn't go out the way. I mean, we would've loved Federer to have some sort of farewell tour and he didn't, you know, because of the knee. And I hope it doesn't go the same way with Andy, that's too much bad luck he's had in his tennis career."
"Andy Murray is a warrior and a winner... but he's really had bad luck" - John Lloyd
John Lloyd also spared a word for Andy Murray's string of bad luck. The Brit was on top of the men's game before he suffered a career-threatening hip injury, for which he underwent arthroscopic surgery.
And while Murray eventually returned to Grand Slam tennis in 2019, he has still had his fair share of injuries since then. The 69-year-old sympathized with how the former World No. 1's physical limitations had hampered his potential to achieve more top honors in his career.
"I was actually completely shocked that the injury was as bad as it was. Because of the way he carried on playing," John Lloyd said. "Obviously he's a warrior and a winner... but he's really had bad luck, no doubt about it."
"I mean, he's had an unbelievable career, but with all the stuff he's had to put through, with the hips and all this stuff, he's still making a go of it. I think deep down, he must be thinking to himself, 'I haven't been able to have a clear shot at what I wanna do, injuries all the time,'" he added.
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