Andy Murray retiring

Andy Murray

“You are a champion on and off the court.  So sorry you cannot retire on your own terms, but remember to look to the future.  Your greatest impact on the world may be yet to come.  Your voice for equality will inspire future generations.  Much love to you and your family”

~ Billie Jean King

I am sure there could not have been a dry eye in the U.K. on Friday seeing Andy Murray’s press conference ahead of the Australian Open, at the news that he is likely to retire this year.

Hip Injury

The thought that he has been playing, for years, in such pain with his hip, is eye-watering in itself, quite apart from the emotional agony of having to curtail his career.  He is considering having another hip operation, just so as to improve his quality of life (even putting shoes and socks on in the morning is a trial).  Jupiter rules the hips in Astrology, and natally he has easy aspects to his Jupiter, but he does have Saturn in Sagittarius.  Saturn conjuncts the Moon, opposes his Mars, squares his Ascendant and exactly squares his Chiron natally, so these factors may give him the long-term ability to ignore pain (up to a point).  Sportsmen and women are probably used to the cycle of injury and healing, and probably take more risks with their injuries than the average person.  But even so, can they afford to stop listening to their body?  Many fellow tennis players have said  they do hope he can carry through to Wimbledon, which is his dream, but as a non-sportsperson I would like him to stop, and think about his future health conditions.

Current Transits

The Sun was conjunct Pluto when he made his announcement, a bombshell of an aspect and announcement.  Mars was squaring his Neptune, so he felt vulnerable, Jupiter was square his Ascendant, and Neptune was opposite his Ascendant.  So today’s (and this year’s) Jupiter-Neptune square are exactly on his angles, and he is feeling the nature and pressure of this square (of which I will write later today).  Its impact on his life is more than average, therefore.  Jupiter is entering his 4th House of Home and Family, which will bring him a greater domestic joy, with his wife and two daughters.  Neptune opposing his Ascendant makes his immediate future, and health (the Ascendant represents the physical body) seem more precarious and uncertain.

Dublane Massacre

He was at the school in Dunblane as a child when the massacre occurred in 1996.  In the transits for the time, Mars was square his Moon in Sagittarius in 4th House, a danger in his locality; Saturn was square his Mars in Gemini in 10th House, danger;  and Pluto (extreme danger) opp his Mercury (school) in Gemini in 9th House.  Jupiter trine his Ascendant was offering protection.  Who knows what the  long term effect was on him.  We do know that time and time again, he would come back after three sets to win a five setter match, with his never-say-die attitude.

National Treasure

He became a national treasure for us.  We were frustrated in the years leading up to his win in 2012 at the London Olympics.  With his Moon conjunct Saturn, we wanted to see the real emotions behind the stoical Sun in Taurus.  The moment came at the end of the unsuccessful final of 2012 at Wimbledon, when he made an emotional speech, and sealed his status as national treasure.  At the time, Pluto was transiting his natal Neptune, one of the deepest psychological transits it is possible to have.

That seemed to unlock the man for us, and unlock the inner winner for him.  For just a few weeks later, he beat Roger Federer and won Gold at the Olympics.  Pluto was sextile his natal Pluto (self-empowerment).  He then went on to win Wimbledon (our first British champ for 70 years) in 2013 and 2016.

Feminist

He was a great advocate for feminism and equal rights within the tennis world, and also employed a female coach for a time.  When questioned about this, he always comes across as quite modest and natural about it, but it has been very much appreciated by female tennis players.  He does actually have the Activist Archetype (in Mars opposite exactly Uranus) in his chart, but it is almost a casual, incidental, by-product of being a decent human being.

There have been many great tributes from his fellow tennis players, but this one seems extra heartfelt:

“Andy, I know you take me for a joker, but hear me out on this old friend…I know this was never the way you wanted to go out, but hey it was a heck of a ride.  You took me under your wing as soon as I got on tour, and you have been someone I  look forward to seeing.  You are one crazy tennis player, miles better than me, but I just want you to know today isn’t only a sad day for you, it’s a sad day for the sport and for everyone you’ve had an impact on.”

~ Nick Kyrgios