Andy Murray labelled an 'embarrassment' for retirement 'circus' by tennis rival

Andy Murray has been branded as an "embarrassment" by controversial tennis star Alexander Bublik.

The Kazakhstani player did not hold back when giving his thoughts on the three-time Grand Slam winner, claiming Murray's decision to step away from the game became something of a "circus". Bublik is no stranger to courting controversy and has often made headlines for his anarchic views.

Nevertheless, his latest may have crossed the line with the 27-year-old also taking aim at how Rafael Nadal handled his retirement from the sport. Bublik was left deeply unimpressed with how both icons continued playing as they battled through injury, callously stating: "We saw a bald man and an old man", in reference to the two legends.

Murray, 37, called time on his 20 year long career in August 2024 after a heroic run to the doubles quarter-finals at the Paris Olympics. Nadal, 38, meanwhile walked away from the game in November of the same year after giving a speech at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.

A video montage was played of his career highlights and the Spaniard received personal messages from several of the game's greatest players. However, speaking to Russian media Match TV, Bublik was left apathetic at each player's grand farewell, while also blasting Murray's recent decision to help coach Novak Djokovic as of a way of clinging to the past.

"We want to retire in the best possible way. It's clear that I'm not Rafa Nadal and my legacy will be much smaller, if you can call it that, but he is not what he was and will never be again," Bublik said.

"What happened with Nadal and Andy Murray in their retirements was a circus, I can't call it anything else. We used to watch them with our mouths open in the locker room but then you see a