British cancer-survivor said he just wanted to be treated like any other player yesterday after he made a winning return to Grand Slam doubles tennis
Melbourne: British cancer-survivor Ross Hutchins said he just wanted to be treated like any other player yesterday after he made a winning return to Grand Slam doubles tennis.
Ross Hutchins during his Australian Open doubles match yesterday
Hutchins, who was out for a year with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, thanked his supporters, including Andy Murray who dedicated his Brisbane International title last year to his stricken friend.
But Hutchins, who capped his amazing comeback with a victory alongside partner Colin Fleming in the Australian Open’s first round, said they were not expecting any favours from their opponents.
“It’s meant a lot to me to have the support,” Hutchins told reporters in Melbourne. “At the same time, I want to be treated as another player who has just as much chance to win or lose and to be ruthless out there with these other guys.
“(We just want to) to become better competitors and to win matches on our own, not for people taking pity on us, which hopefully they don’t. We can beat them on our own merits.”
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