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Even with his wonky gait between points, Murray was in his element fighting his way back into the contest and thrilling the crowd.

So you can see why he might have been in no mood for a big farewell when Bautista Agut finally subdued him with a cry of "vamos".

Murray was hedging his bets. "There's no guarantee I'll be able to come back from that [another hip operation]," he said, "but I'll give it my best shot." An internal voice was doubtless telling him that with more match practise he might have been able to sneak past Bautista Agut, who was up against a movie as well as a man.

Perhaps the shift in Murray's head is to think he might be well enough to contest Wimbledon one last time after all. Only five days ago he was talking about the next round of surgery as a way of improving his "quality of life". If his pain is that bad, he might be wise to head straight for the pantheon without stopping off at centre court.

If it does turn out that way, we will always have sets three and four of the 2019 Australian Open to remind us of his essence. The defiance, the escapology and the gleam in his eye when the match started to swing back his way affirmed his love of battle.

But when the accompanying measuring device for a match at a grand slam is a pain-ometer, you know the end is nigh. When commentators are spotting shot selections that point to pain avoidance, you can be sure the game is nearly up. Murray has been served with a hefty bill for his commitment to training, his determination to add strength and power to his game.

The loss of his career at 31 is indeed hard to bear, for his British audience too. The public have come to depend on him for the emotional roller-coaster, but also his dignity and good sense.

"If" this was his last game, and the legends are not to be called back to shoot a farewell follow-up, Melbourne was a chart of his finest qualities. There have been many notable victories over the "Big Four". This was a triumph over his own body, his hip, through force of will.

The best policy now is to assume we have seen the last of him on a court. His mother Judy's body language suggested she was there for a valediction. The way Murray raised his arm and accepted the crowd's acclamation before his final service game also spoke of an ending. After Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer had spoken from the big window in the sky, though, Murray came across as someone wanting to buy himself more time, which he might have done on Friday had despair not shaped his words.

This is his life, his obsession, and so his decision alone to make. "If" the game is up, his last gift was to make a first-round defeat inspiring.

The Telegraph, London