Peniston shocks Ruud in dream Queen’s debut
BRITISH No.7 Ryan Peniston enjoyed a dream Queen’s Club debut by knocking out the top seed and world No.5 Casper Ruud.
The little-known 26-year-old from Southend, playing in his first ATP Tour main draw, beat last month’s French Open runner-up 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-2).
It was only the seventh time the top seed has lost an opening-round match at Queen’s in the open era, with Peniston consigning Ruud to an illustrious list which also includes Andy Murray, Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors.
It has been a remarkable journey for Peniston, who survived cancer as a baby before going on to join the professional tennis ranks after learning his trade in France and at the University of Memphis.
He said: “I can’t really believe it, it feels like a dream. I didn’t get much sleep last night, it doesn’t feel real.
“I’ve been playing well. Obviously Casper is an unreal player, he did so well at the
French Open so I knew it was a tough ask, but you have to step on the court knowing you’ve got a chance to win – so that’s what I did.
“It’s a bit surreal, four or five years ago I was sitting over there watching. It’s a bit unreal. I’ll need a bit of time to process it.”
When he was just one year old Peniston was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft-tissue cancer, and needed surgery and chemotherapy as well as regular check-ups for years afterwards.
“It was definitely a difficult start to my life,” he added. “I don’t remember much. But for my parents and my brothers, I think it must have been a pretty, pretty tough time.
“But I had the amazing, amazing doctors and amazing nurses who helped me through that – and my family, huge, huge thanks to them.
“And yeah, standing here today, that was pretty good.”
A stunning victory in the west London sunshine was the perfect way for Peniston to celebrate the news he has received a wild card for Wimbledon, along with Paul Jubb, who at 227 was the lowest-ranked player at Queen’s this week and who took world No.29 Botic Van De Zandschulp to three sets in a valiant 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-1, defeat.
Peniston next faces Argentina’s world No.46 Francisco Cerundolo.
British No.2 Dan Evans, however, will not be joining him in the second round, losing his first-round match to defending champion Matteo Berrettini, 6-3, 6-3.
There was another shock by a British player at the Rothesay Classic Birmingham, with Katie Boulter pulling off the best win by ranking of her career with victory over Alison Riske in the first round.
Seventh seed Riske, ranked 35, is a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist and was runner-up at the WTA Tour event in Nottingham last week but she had no answer to the clean power of Boulter.
The British No.4, who is ranked more than 100 places lower at 141, is known as a big-match performer and she showed that again at Edgbaston, winning 6-4, 6-3.
Boulter, who found out just before going on court that she has been given a Wimbledon wild card, said: “Massive milestone,
“It’s a bit surreal, four or five years ago I was sitting over there watching. I’ll need a bit of time to process it”
definitely excited of course. I feel like I’ve got close to a few of the top players and never got over the line. I feel like I can do it, the game is there, and that’s what’s exciting to me.”
Boulter has been prevented from achieving her potential by injuries and illness, and a leg problem suffered in March sidelined her for nearly three months.
The Leicestershire player, who will next play France’s Caroline Garcia, is determined to enjoy the chances she has, particularly at home on grass, and said: “These past few years have taught me a lot. I just want to go out there, smile, have fun, maybe not take it too seriously, and I think that really works for my game. I felt like I did that out there and I felt very comfortable, and the work that I did out there started to show. Hopefully I can build on that from here.”
Top seed Jelena Ostapenko recovered from a dramatic collapse against Canada’s Rebecca Marino to win 6-2,
5-7, 6-3, having led 6-2, 5-1, while Nottingham champion Beatriz Haddad Maia continued her winning run by beating fifth seed Petra Kvitova 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.
However, fourth seed Elise Mertens fell 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, to American Caty McNally.