Queen’s: Ryan Peniston stuns French Open finalist Casper Ruud on his ATP tour debut to reach the second round in London

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.