Brits impress at All England Club before Evans suffers shock exit
ALASTAIR GRAY and Ryan Peniston train together, play doubles together and will soon share a house together. Yesterday, the British duo also achieved their childhood dream together – winning their first matches at Wimbledon.
Gray, ranked 288 in the world, saw off former Wimbledon boys’ singles champion Tseng Chun-hsin 6-3 6-3 7-6 (3) with a composed display on Court 14. Earlier, 26-year-old Peniston – also a wild card – entertained a busy Court 12 with a similarly efficient 6-4 6-3 6-2 victory over Henri Laaksonen of Switzerland.
In doing so the duo put another £56,000 of prize money in the pot for the house they plan to rent together in the Wimbledon area. Although, as Southend leftie Peniston observed: “Round here, in these times, I think I might have to win it!”
Gray, the second lowest-ranked player in the men’s draw, had won ITF World Tennis Tour events in Shrewsbury and Glasgow this year but had never even played above the lower-tier Challenger Tour level before. He said: “It is pretty special, to be honest. Both our debuts today. Then we’re playing doubles together tomorrow, as well.
“Ryan and I are great friends, training partners. We have the same coach, Mark Taylor. So to be going through this with him is just amazing. Pretty cool.”
Gray and Peniston are two of an impressive nine Britons already through to the second round. Gray, a 24-year-old from nearby Twickenham, attended the same school as fellow firstround winner Jack Draper and the same US college as British No.1 Cameron Norrie.
“I think we’re all spurring each other on,” added Gray. “Them doing well creates belief in the other Brits that they can do it, too. We’re all just pushing each other higher and higher right now. It’s so great to see.”
Peniston was left in a state of disbelief after beating Switzerland’s Henri Laaksonen 6-4 6-3 6-2 on a packed Court 12 for a maiden grand slam win.
He said: “To be honest, I was chatting with my coach, Mark Taylor, yesterday and I was kind of saying I’m waiting for someone to pinch me and wake up back in May sometime. I’m just loving every second of it.”
There was another first as Jack Draper secured his first first grand slam victory. The 20-year-old drew another inform player in Belgian Zizou
Bergs, champion at the recent second-tier Challenger tournament in Ilkley, but Draper fought off three set points in the third set to claim a 6-4 6-4 7-6 (4) victory on Court 12.
“It was a tough one,” said Draper. “I felt like Zizou is someone who is quite a dangerous player. He’s someone I’ve known from the Challengers. He’s quite flairy.”
Heather Watson broke down in tears during her on-court interview following a 6-7 (7) 7-5 6-2 win over Tamara Korpatsch in a match that was carried over from Monday night.
She said: “The last few years for me personally have been tough. I’ve had my ups and
downs – mostly downs – like so many people have with the pandemic and stuff.”
Dan Evans was a shock exit in the second round as the British No.2 was hammered 6-1 6-4 6-3 by world No.99 Australian Jason Kubler. Asked if he felt he was missing out, he replied: “No, no. I can have a party on my own.
“I was just saying to the people with me, it’s sport, isn’t it? Some days you don’t have a good day. That’s why they roll the balls out. If it was done on rankings, there would be no tournament.”
The day ended on a high note for the Brits, though, as Katie Boulter beat Clara Burel 7-5 6-3.