Twice former champion Andy Murray has hinted at retirement after coming from a set down to beat Australian James Duckworth in his Wimbledon opener on the first day of the tennis tournament.
At Centre Court on Monday evening, 35-year-old Murray overcame a slow start to beat 30-year-old Duckworth - and at some points looked in danger of letting the side down as he laboured on the pristine turf.
Following his win, he told spectators: 'It's amazing to be back out here again with a full crowd after the last few years. It's an amazing atmosphere.
'Obviously I'm getting on a bit now so I don't know how many more opportunities I'll get to play on this court so I want to make the most of every time I get to come out here.
'Hopefully I'll get another match here in a couple of days.'
Encouragingly for Murray, who preserved his record of never losing in the Wimbledon first round, he appeared to be moving smoothly after being troubled by an abdominal injury that limited his grasscourt preparation.
Duckworth, who like Murray has battled back from hip surgery, had suffered eight successive Tour-level defeats stretching back to November.
Murray began to exert his authority in the third set as world number 74 Duckworth complained about the light, telling the umpire, 'If he [Murray] asked, then they'd come on
The fourth set was played with the roof closed and lights switched on, and for a while, Duckworth was re-energised as he pushed Murray hard with some aggressive hitting.
But the Scot seized on Duckworth at 4-4, breaking when his opponent dumped a second serve into the net.
Murray, who was champion in 2013 and 2016, needed no second invitation to rack up his 60th Wimbledon victory, sealing it when Duckworth opted to challenge a second serve rather than play the rally and Hawkeye showed it had hit the line.
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