Andy Murray has been tipped for a coaching role following his retirement from professional tennis, with some suggesting he could form a "dream team" with fellow Brit Emma Raducanu. The 37-year-old bowed out of competitive tennis on Thursday after a straight-sets defeat in the men's doubles quarter-finals at the Olympics alongside Dan Evans.
This marked the end of an illustrious career that saw Murray achieve two Olympic gold medals, three Grand Slam titles, and the number one ranking. While his final competitive match took place in Paris earlier this year, his Olympic participation provided a fitting final curtain call for the Scot.
Former British tennis player Mark Petchey, a renowned commentator and coach, believes Murray's next chapter could lie in coaching. He has expressed his conviction that the two-time Olympic champion would be a perfect fit for Raducanu, the 21-year-old US Open champion.
"Of course, he could [coach] Emma," Petchey remarked when asked about the prospect of a Murray-Raducanu partnership. "If that option came up for Emma, she would be mad not to take it. That would be the dream team in so many ways. He would be phenomenal."
Petchey is confident that Murray's drive and dedication would translate well into coaching. He dismissed the notion of Murray entering the world of punditry, a popular path for retired players.
"One thing that I think Andy would be incredibly inspired to do is to coach," Petchey said. "I don't think he would want to go into the media. Not everybody loves it. Stefan Edberg, for example, is someone who would have incredible insight, having worked with Federer. He just doesn't want to do it. I would put Andy in that bracket. I would be very surprised if Andy ended up commentating or being a pundit."
Instead, Petchey believes Murray's competitive spirit and desire for challenges would lead him towards coaching.
"If there is one thing he would excel at, it is coaching," he said. "For someone like Andy, it is the challenge of what to do next, the black hole you go into after stopping playing. You'll never be better at something than he was at tennis. He has to find a substitute for 90 per cent of his life. Being a coach and helping British kids would be number one on my list, and we would be fortunate to have him."
Murray is expected to take a well-deserved break following his Olympic swansong before charting his next steps. While coaching may be a tempting prospect, he will undoubtedly explore other options, potentially venturing into various areas of the tennis world. However, with his unwavering passion and wealth of experience, a coaching role, perhaps even alongside Raducanu, seems a fitting and impactful next chapter for the British sporting legend.
