Courageous duo are beating the odds

– JC Aragone lost at the US Open on Monday, but just five years after slipping into a diabetic coma, the American was happy just to be on court.

When he was 16, Aragone battled for his life as his liver and kidneys failed – a dramatic and life-threatening reaction to an anti-acne treatment.

“My blood sugar was all over the place today,” admitted Aragone after his 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 defeat by South African 28th seed Kevin

New York

Anderson.

Aragone is ranked 534th in the world and making his Grand Slam debut at the age of 22.

Aragone is not the only American just happy to be playing on a tennis court again rather than marking time in a doctor’s waiting room.

Allie Kiick is also making her Slam debut, two years after she was diagnosed with melanoma in her back and undergoing surgery last year.

“I got a call from the doctor telling me to come in because a mole they punched came back as melanoma,” Kiick said as she recounted the bombshell news that she had cancer.

Now cancer-free, but ranked a lowly 643, Kiick is already guaranteed a major boost to her flagging bank balance.

Before the US Open, she had made a paltry $3 800 in 2017 but is now guaranteed at least $43 000 for being in the main draw. –