RYAN Peniston admitted he has had worse weeks after earning a £100,000 pay day at Queen’s Club.
The British number seven, who is from Great Wakering, saw his dream run at the cinch Championships – his first appearance in an ATP Tour main draw – ended at the quarter-final stage by Filip Krajinovic.
Yet Peniston’s charge to the last eight, courtesy of wins over Francisco Cerundolo and top seed Casper Ruud, earned him £50,000 in prize money, almost double his earnings for the rest of the year.
Moreover, his performances this week also secured the 26-year-old a Wimbledon wild card, guaranteeing him at least the same amount again.
It is a far cry from all the weeks and months spent traipsing around the lower-tier Futures Tours since Peniston turned professional in 2018.
He can now invest in more of a support team – although Peniston admits he may also treat himself with his windfall.
“It’s definitely a lot of money,” smiled the former Southend High School pupil.
“I was playing on the Futures Tours a couple of years ago and then the Challengers. So it’s definitely going to help my career a lot. I’m just going to reinvest it in myself.
“Just being able to pay for training and travel and now I’m starting to be able to afford a coach to travel with.
“The next step is being able to afford a physical trainer on the road, which I think is super important, and trying to basically improve the team and have them as much with me as possible.
“I’m going to remember a lot from this week I think, for sure. Definitely a few feelings that I had, like after the win in my first round and then the match point in my last match in the second round.
“Those feelings will take a while, I think, to forget.
“Will I treat myself? Maybe. I’ll think about that after Wimbledon.”
As well as his cash injection, Peniston will also move up 35 places in the rankings to 145 in the world, with his next target breaking the top 100
Peniston will now move on to this week’s tournament in Eastbourne having been handed a wild card.
The 26-year-old will face number eight seed Holger Rune in the first round.
Rune is currently ranked 28 in the world and reached the quarter-finals of the French Open earlier this month.
READ MORE
>Ryan Peniston reflects on quarter-final exit
>John Lloyd certain Ryan can break into top 100
>Ryan's first tennis club proud of his progress
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