Ryan Peniston’s Wimbledon 2023 run ended in the first round as tournament favorite Andy Murray breezed to victory. Peniston had an excellent first set, pushing the Grand Slam winner all the way. However, in the final two sets, Murray’s experience shone, with Peniston barely laying a glove on Murray.
Ryan Peniston was born to a Caucasian father and an Asian mother
Ryan Peniston was born on 10th November 1995 to Paul and Penny Peniston. Paul is a Caucasian Brit, and Penny hails from Malaysia.
The Penistons live in Essex, Great Britain, but celebrate their Asian connections regularly. Per Peniston’s Instagram, the family, including Peniston’s two older brothers, traveled to Malaysia in late January to celebrate the Chinese New Year. “Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Amazing time with family and friends in Malaysia. Makan!!!”
Peniston had a challenging start to life: he was diagnosed with soft tissue cancer as a child. The tennis pro said he has little memory of receiving cancer treatment but stated that the experience shaped his life. He told ATP Tour:
“It has hugely changed my perspective [on life]. When I am having a tough day about something or getting annoyed about something little, I kind of remind myself that I literally might not have been here 25 years ago. When I think about stuff [that has annoyed me], It makes me relax and I try and enjoy everything. It definitely makes these kinds of days a little bit sweeter.”
The treatment had some adverse long-term effects: he was about a foot smaller than his peers before experiencing a growth spurt in his mid-teens. “I was really small up until I was 14 or 15,” Peniston said. “When I started growing a bit it made me appreciate it as I was so small when I was younger. The biggest long-term aspect of it has been my mentality, though.”
Aware of Peniston’s early-life struggles, Penny was overjoyed when Peniston won his first game at Wimbledon in 2022. “He’s such a determined fighter,” Penny told The Mirror. “It was a terrible time. We just feel proud of him.”