Ryan Peniston earned the biggest win of his career on Tuesday when he upset world No 5 Casper Ruud 7-6(4) 7-6(2) in the opening round at Queen’s, in what was the Brit’s ATP Tour debut. While on the court, the world No 180 was also announced as one of the recipients of a Wimbledon main draw wildcard and he has now opened up on overcoming cancer to achieve his goals in the sport.
Peniston faced the toughest possible opponent in his first tour-level match but managed to pull off a stunning upset over the top seed and recent French Open finalist, and was simultaneously announced as one of Wimbledon’s wildcard recipients. After the greatest two hours of his tennis career, the 26-year-old opened up on what it felt like to tick off his long-time goals having overcome cancer as a baby.
“I don’t remember tons of it which is I guess a good thing,” he admitted. “So when I was a one year old I was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma. I went into hospital and had to have chemotherapy and then surgery and then more chemotherapy, it lasted about 18 months.” While Peniston was too young to recall what happened to him, he admitted it would have been tough on the rest of his family.
“It was definitely a difficult start to my life, I don’t remember much but from my parents and my brothers it must have been a pretty tough time.” The Southend native thanked the doctors and nurses who helped him through and reflected on what it would mean to his parents to see him get the win of his life and a chance to play at his home Grand Slam tournament.
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“I hope they’re proud, I hope that I made them proud,” he said. “I’m sure it will be a little bit emotional for them, for me as well, but just hope that I made them proud.” Peniston also confirmed he didn’t know he had been awarded a wildcard into Wimbledon until he came off court already on a high from his win over Ruud.
He explained: “So I was told that there was a really good chance. It wasn’t a 100% yes but it kind of was. But after I came off and then it was confirmed and it just feels amazing because I have this little list with goals I have and that’s top of my list, to play main draw Wimbledon. To find that out was pretty emotional.”
While he had achieved two of his dreams in quick succession on Tuesday afternoon, the left-hander wasn’t rushing to make more goals and was instead relishing the moment. “It’s definitely going to be nice to cross some of those off the list,” he smiled.
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“There are a few other things on there that I want to achieve but I’m going to definitely make sure to enjoy them and not just cross them off and straightaway, write some new ones and get onto the next one. I think that’s a big part of enjoying the milestones and the journey as well so I’ll make sure to do that.”
Peniston was a last-minute addition to the Queen’s entry list when Andy Murray’s run to the Stuttgart final earned him a special exempt spot and freed up his wildcard for the 26-year-old, and he also thanked the former world No 1 for inadvertently giving him the chance to compete this week. And he has definitely made the most of the wildcard after downing the top seed, having confessed he was relishing the chance to face Ruud when he saw his draw.
“When the draw came out me and my coach both just kind of smiled at each other because it’s one of those challenges that you just take and you play tennis to play those kinds of matches so we just went out there and tried to do our best,” he said.
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