ANDY MURRAY admitted the window on his career is closing and that today’s meek loss to Tomas Martin Etcheverry may have been his last Australian Open match.

The five-time finalist was outplayed in a 6-4 6-2 6-2 defeat that was a far cry from his glory days and he looked emotional as he gave a lingering wave to all sides of the Show Court Arena.

It was only Murray’s second opening-round loss at Melbourne Park in the last 16 years, with the other coming five years ago against Roberto Bautista Agut after the Scot had revealed that hip problems could mean the end of his career.

Surgery and a gruelling recovery process has given him a commendable postscript, but Murray did not dispute that this much more low-key exit could signal his final goodbye.

He said: “It’s a definite possibility that will be the last time I play here — I think probably because of how the match went and everything. While you’re playing the match, you’re obviously trying to control your emotions, focus on the points and everything.

“When you’re one point away from the end, you’re like: ‘I can’t believe this is over so quickly, and like this’.

“In comparison to the matches that I played here last year, it’s the complete opposite feeling walking off the court.

“I wish I involved the crowd more. [I’m] just disappointed with the way I played and all of that stuff. [It’s a] tough, tough way to finish.”