'Proud' Murray bows out of tennis with Paris Olympics defeat

PARIS, France — Andy Murray said he was retiring "on my terms" as his trophy-filled career came to an emotional end at the Paris Olympics on Thursday (Friday, Manila time), closing another chapter on tennis's golden generation.

The former world number one and three-time Grand Slam title winner slipped into retirement aged 37 when he and Dan Evans lost in the men's doubles quarterfinals at Roland Garros.

American pair Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul delivered the knockout blow with a 6-2, 6-4 victory on a packed Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Britain's Murray had already announced that the Olympics would be his last event.

"I'm proud of my career, my achievements and what I put into the sport," said Murray.

"Obviously it was emotional because it's the last time I will play a competitive match. But I am genuinely happy just now. I'm happy with how it finished."

He added: "I'm glad I got to go out here at the Olympics and finish on my terms because at times in the last few years that wasn't a certainty."

Just a few hours after Murray had made his exit, he cheekily wrote on X: "Never even liked tennis anyway".

Career-long rival Novak Djokovic described Murray as "an incredible competitor".

"One of the greatest warriors tennis has seen. His fighting spirit is definitely something that I'm sure is going to inspire many generations to come," said the Serb.

- Injury toll -

One of the 'Big Four' in the sport, Murray joins 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer in retirement after the Swiss great quit in 2022.

Rafael Nadal, the winner of 22 majors but battling more injuries at the age of 38, exited the Paris Olympics on Wednesday and suggested that he had played his last match at Roland Garros, where he won 14 of his Slams.

Nadal also effectively ruled himself out of the US Open, sparking more speculation that the great Spaniard is also finished in the sport.

That would leave just 37-year-old Djokovic -- winner of a record 24 Grand Slams -- still active amongst the sport's eminent talents who have carved up 69 majors between them.

Murray famously ended Britain's 77-year wait for a men's champion at Wimbledon when he triumphed in 2013, defeating Djokovic in the final.

He added a