Andy Murray's latest injury has sparked a concern that he could have already played his final match of professional tennis.
Miami Open tournament director and former world No 4 James Blake hopes the Brit can return to action and bow out on his own terms.
Murray ruptured ankle ligaments towards the end of his Miami Open exit against Tomas Machac last Sunday.
He was able to play on through the final few games of the match but was in a lot of discomfort and scans afterwards revealed the extent of the damage.
Andy Murray has sparked a retirement concern after his latest injury
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Murray says he will be out for an 'extended period' and has already pulled out of the first two tournaments in the clay-court season.
The 36-year-old has previously said he will retire this year and has hinted the summer will be when he hangs up his racket for the final time.
Many feel Wimbledon or the Olympics in Paris would be the perfect way for him to end his career.
But Blake, who has been director of the Miami Open since 2018, hopes Murray's latest problem doesn't spell the end.
He told Sky Sports: "I want to see him get back and end his career the way he wants to end his career.
"I hope it doesn’t end with a rolled ankle, I really want to see him back and I want to see him end his career however he sees fit."
Murray beat Blake in the final of Queens in 2019 to win his first grass-court title as a professional.
Blake has given inside information on how Murray behaves on the tour, claiming he is much more friendly than many people think.
The 44-year-old added: "Andy is one of my favourite people on tour, he definitely makes me feel like a slacker the fact that he’s still out there playing and competing.
"Watching the match, even when he got injured he still finished the match 7-6 in the third. You see how hard he competes and how much he loves the game.
"And he’s so thoughtful about his career and everything else so that’s why he’s one of my favourites.
"I tell people all the time, he’s not the surly guy you see on the court, he’s actually a genuinely nice human being, funny, easygoing."
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James Blake hopes Andy Murray's injury doesn't spell the end of his career
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Murray has won three Grand Slam titles in his career, a tally he is unlikely to add to before he retires.
Blake admits he is one of the more intelligent players he faced during his playing days.
He said: "I think he’s one of the more skilled players I’ve ever seen. I still remember the first time I practised with him and he was still young.
"He didn’t quite have the bulk, he didn’t have the weight of his shots but you could see how well he could defend, how well he cut off angles and how he used those hand skills and he put it all together throughout the middle of his career.
Andy Murray suffered ankle ligament damage during the Miami Open
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"Now you can see at the back-end of his career maybe using that, he’s got the power but he maybe doesn’t have the same legs that he had in the middle in his career.
"It’s fun to see how he adapts and how he uses his brain.
"He’s got one of the better tennis IQs I’ve ever seen. I want to see him back out there."
