Judy Murray defends her social media response to Emma Raducanu pulling out of mixed doubles with Andy Murray... instead pointing the finger at Wimbledon's scheduling
- Emma Raducanu pulled out of mixed doubles so she could focus on singles glory
- Judy Murray called the decision 'astonishing' but has since rowed back on it
- Organisers were determined to put it on a show court which limited its options
Judy Murray has taken a swipe at Wimbledon over its scheduling after Emma Raducanu ended Andy Murray's Wimbledon career by withdrawing from their mixed doubles match.
Raducanu cited right wrist soreness as the reason behind her withdrawal and Judy Murray unhelpfully labelled the young Brit's decision to not play in the mixed doubles as 'astonishing'.
But, on Sunday morning, Judy Murray appeared to row back on her criticism of Raducanu and her team and instead directed her ire at Wimbledon's organisers.
Raducanu and Murray were due to take to No 1 Court as the fourth match of the day, meaning an 11pm finish was not out of the question.
That would have been terrible preparation for Raducanu ahead of her fourth round singles match against Lulu Sun, and Judy Murray took to X, formerly Twitter, to fume at the scheduling.
Judy Murray was criticised for her response to Emma Raducanu's mixed doubles withdrawal
Raducanu (right) felt some right wrist soreness and her withdrawal cost Andy Murray (left) a final farewell at Wimbledon, having lost earlier in the week in men's doubles with his brother
On Sunday morning, Judy Murray called it 'sarcasm' before pointing finger at the scheduling
'Not sure anyone understands sarcasm these days,' she said, in relation to her prior post about Raducanu's 'astonishing' withdrawal.
The reality of the situation is that with rain causing havoc in the opening week of the tournament, the All England Club found themselves needing to prioritise the scheduling of singles matches.
There is pressure to play singles matches before doubles, and one of Murray-Raducanu's scheduled opponents, Marcelo Arevalo, was finishing his men's doubles match on Saturday morning, so they could hardly ask him to go back-to-back.
Another factor that complicated this particular mixed doubles match was that given the huge interest in it organisers were eager to put it on a show court, limiting the available slots available.
Raducanu's withdrawal came as desperately disappointing news to Andy Murray, as well as fans who queued for hours early morning in the hope of landing a No 1 Court ticket to see them.
'Unfortunately I woke up with some stiffness in my right wrist this morning, so I have decided to make the very tough decision to withdraw from the mixed doubles tonight,' a statement from Raducanu said on Saturday, just after 2pm.
'I'm disappointed as I was really looking forward to playing with Andy but got to take care.'
The news of Raducanu's withdrawal from the mixed doubles caught the attention of Judy Murray, who called the decision 'astonishing' on social media on Saturday afternoon
Raducanu will doubtless feel guilty about denying Murray a final fling at Wimbledon
Andy Murray was said to be 'absolutely devastated' after his Wimbledon career was brought to an end.
The 37-year-old had been forced to bow out of the singles on Monday with a back injury to the heartbreak of British fans, before losing alongside his brother Jamie in the first round of the men's doubles, sparking a tearful post-match interview in which he admitted it was 'too tough' for him to continue playing.
He had hoped for some form of redemption by taking part in the mixed doubles with Raducanu - who previously said it was a 'dream' to partner up with him - before the shock announcement.
It has proven an unfortunate situation and Raducanu doubtless feels guilty about denying Murray a final fling - and it will undoubtedly come up in her post-match press conference following singles action on Sunday.
The names of Murray and Raducanu are removed from the order of play at Wimbledon today after her decision to pull out with a wrist injury
But the brutal reality in this sport is you have to take care of yourself. Raducanu's match against the world No 123 for a place in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon is a massive opportunity.
Raducanu had surgery on her right wrist last year and one only has to look at Juan Martin del Potro, Dominic Thiem or — more parochially — Laura Robson for evidence of how persistent wrist problems can wreck a career.
No one appreciates better than Murray the importance of protecting one's body — or the fact that ruthlessness is not an optional trait for a career at the highest level.
He was 20 years old himself when he withdrew from a Davis Cup match in Argentina, citing knee pain, and even his brother Jamie joined in the criticism, saying: 'It kind of affects the way I feel about him.'
