Ryan Peniston shocked French Open runner-up Casper Ruud in the first round at Queen’s, beating the Norwegian 7-6(4) 7-6(2) on his ATP Tour debut.
World No. 5 Ruud lost to Rafael Nadal in the French Open final earlier this month and entered the grass-court tournament as the top seed, but he was not able to find a way past the world No. 180, who produced the biggest win of his career in front of a boisterous home crowd.
“I can’t really believe it,” Peniston told the BBC afterwards. “It feels like a dream. It doesn’t feel real.
“I think I’ve been playing well. Casper is an unreal player and he did so well at the French Open so I knew it was a tough ask.
“You have to step on the court thinking you have a chance to win and I think I did that and that was all I could do. It’s a bit surreal. Four or five years ago I was sitting in the crowd just watching so to be here now is just unreal.
“I have to have a bit of time to process it but I think I will take some good stuff from it.”
Peniston, who entered the tournament as a wild card, will play either Francisco Cerundolo or Pedro Martinez in the next round.
The Brit applied the pressure early on as he forced four break points on Ruud’s opening service game, but the Norwegian was able to hang on to hold his serve.
Peniston did not face a single break point on his own serve until he was 6-5 down, but Ruud could not convert and the pair battled to a tie-break.
Despite Ruud moving into a 2-0 lead, Peniston reeled off five points in a row before securing the opening set on his first set point.
In the second set Ruud broke first to go 4-3 up, but Penison broke back immediately to level the scores.
Another tie-break would ensue and it was Peniston who held his nerve as he raced into a 5-1 lead before serving out the match.
Earlier in the day, 2010 Queen’s champion Sam Querrey beat fifth seed Diego Schwartzman 6-1 6-4.
BERRETTINI KNOCKS OUT EVANS
Dan Evans, who won the Rothesay Open in Nottingham last week, was knocked out of Queen’s in the first round after losing to defending champion Matteo Berrettini in straight sets.
The Italian overcame the Brit 6-3 6-3 in London as he continues his comeback from a wrist injury that had ruled him out since March. He returned for the Stuttgart Open last week where he beat another Brit, Andy Murray, in three sets in the final.
“The last two games were really long but that’s the beauty of tennis,” Berrettini said.
“We were fighting really hard. We both won a tournament last week. We were feeling confident and I think we showed that on the court. That’s why I’m really happy for the win.”
He added: “I had surgery a few months ago and I didn’t know if I was ready to play this grass season. I’m really thankful to be here. Every match is important for me. The goal is to win [Queen’s} again.”
Berrettini, who beat Cameron Norrie to win last year’s Queen’s, had little trouble overcoming Evans as he slammed down 21 aces and won 70 per cent of points on his first serve.
After a tight start to the match, the 2021 Wimbledon finalist broke Evans’ serve in the eighth game to move into a 5-3 lead and held his serve to take the first set.
Momentum was with Berrettini and he broke Evans in the very first game of the second set. He won the match on Evans’ serve after converting his fourth match point.
