RYAN IS KING OF QUEEN’S AS HE NETS DREAM DEBUT VICTORY

TENNIS: British number seven Ryan Peniston enjoyed a dream Queen’s Club debut by knocking out the top seed and world number five Casper Ruud.

The 26-year-old from Southend, playing in his first ATP Tour main draw, won two tie-breaks to beat last month’s French Open runnerup 7-6 (4), 7-6 (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 pro 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’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-yearold 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, 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. Admittedly Ruud is a claycourt specialist who has a pretty low opinion of the grass, and the Norwegian struggled with his timing throughout and also needed treatment on his hip after taking a tumble on the baseline.

Peniston, by contrast, has thrived on the turf this year and already had Challenger Tour wins over Jiri Vesely and Adrian Mannarino under his belt.