Emma Raducanu fans vent fury as Andy Murray confirms tennis retirement after Paris Olympics

However, with the 21-year-old still involved in the singles, she withdrew - sparking a big backlash in the process.

A quick look at Raducanu's social media shows some critical comments towards the 2021 US Open winner, with some feeling she ruined a monumental occasion for Murray.

But Raducanu's supporters have now hit back and defended her. With Murray set to play at one last big event, they clearly feel she didn't deserve the criticism she got.

"But I thought Emma Raducanu ruined his farewell tour?" were the words of one user.

"Murray’s retired more times than Frank Sinatra! I thought he’d gone at Wimbledon after his mother tried to trash Emma Raducanu’s singles bid?" said a second.

Another stated: "If Andy Murray is making his final appearance in tennis today, why were people making such a fuss about how Raducanu let him down?

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Over on Reddit, one fan said: "How is Emma Raducanu going to ruin this one?"

But a supporter of the tennis star hit back by saying: "Andy could have played singles if it was that important to him, mixed doubles is for entertainment, you can't expect someone doing a deep singles run to not pull out."

Murray will be hoping to end his career by winning Olympic gold for the third time.

He won the medal for the first time back in 2012, beating Roger Federer in the final at Centre Court.

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Murray had been beaten by the same opponent at Wimbledon just four weeks previously.

But she showed the courage of a lion to battle his way to glory, sending the whole of Britain into a state of ecstasy in the process.

Four years later, in Rio, Murray also won gold.

He beat Juan Martin del Potro in a four-hour epic, with the 37-year-old operating at the peak of his powers at the time.

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Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament @Olympics
Competing for 🇬🇧 have been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get do it one final time! pic.twitter.com/keqnpvSEE1

— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) July 23, 2024

Paula Radcliffe, meanwhile, believes it is 'fitting' that Murray will be quitting tennis after the Olympics.

“Watching over the years, I think he leaves a huge legacy behind," she told Sky Sports News.

“Andy has really epitomised it more than most, he really loves what he is doing and has pushed the boundaries of his physical limits as far as he could.

“He has earned the right to finish his competitive career where he wants to do that.

"And it is extremely fitting that he does so at the Olympics because those Olympics in 2012 really were a huge, huge turning point for him.

“He is one of those tennis players who has backed the Olympics the whole way.”