Andy Murray’s valiant effort at the Miami Open ended in heartbreak on Sunday when he suffered a devastating ankle injury in the third set against Tomas Machac. Despite battling through the pain, Murray ultimately lost the match 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5).
The extent of Murray’s injury was revealed a day later, with the three-time major winner announcing on Instagram that he had suffered a full rupture of his anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and a near full thickness rupture of his calcaneofibular ligament (CFL).
“This is a tough one to take and I’ll be out for an extended period,” Murray wrote.
The injury occurred in the third set when Murray pulled up on his ankle after a forehand at 4-5, 40-15. The scene was reminiscent of Tommy Paul’s injury a day earlier, when he was forced to retire after rolling his left ankle against Martin Damm.
Murray had the ankle taped and continued playing, even saving a match point before forcing a tiebreak. However, Machac ultimately prevailed, leaving Murray devastated.
Murray’s injury is a major setback for the 36-year-old, who had hinted that 2024 would likely be his final season. The two-time Olympic gold medalist has been widely praised for his resilience and determination, having overcome a career-threatening hip injury in 2019.
Despite the setback, Murray remains defiant. “I’ll be back with one hip and no ankle ligaments when the time is right,” he wrote on Instagram.
If history is any indication, Murray will not let this injury define his career. He has repeatedly shown his ability to overcome adversity and return to the highest level of tennis.
