Doubles Specialist Ross Hutchins Fights Back From Cancer

April 1, 2014 | By Andrew Eichenholz
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Ross Hutchins came into the 2014 Australian Open just the way any player would want to, with a win. Partnering with Colin Fleming, he won a three-set match to advance to the second round of the first Grand Slam tournament of the season. For most players, this would be an ordinary win, a solid way to start off the new tennis year. In the world of Ross Hutchins, this win was anything but ordinary.

At the end of the 2012 season, Hutchins went into his training camp after having the best season of his career. Representing Great Britain in the Davis Cup, reaching the Round of 16 at two Grand Slams, and taking home two titles to boot, Hutchins was at the high point of his tennis career.

All of that changed when Hutchins went to his doctor during the offseason. After a series of appointments and tests, the 28-year-old got a scary diagnosis: He with diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Receiving treatment at the Royal Marsden Hospital in England, Hutchins would have to endure six months of intense chemotherapy before even pondering a return to the Pro Tour. For a player who enjoyed his best season as a pro in 2012, that pill may have been a tough one to swallow.

Regardless of the fight on his hands, Hutchins stayed in close contact with the sport throughout his battle. After his first session of chemotherapy on Jan. 12, 2013, Hutchins tweeted about the success of his doubles partner Colin Fleming in winning a tournament.

Staying in the public’s view was a constant throughout his treatment, as in between chemotherapy sessions, Hutchins made appearances for many different media outlets. As the summer approached, Hutchins made many television appearances to promote an event he was heavily involved in, raising funds in support of the fight against cancer. Along with his friend Andy Murray, the Rally for Cancer was initiated just before Wimbledon. Hutchins and company brought together many tennis and celebrity personalities for the benefit of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity on June 16.

As Hutchins looked on, a celebrity doubles match took place following the finals of the AEGON Championships, which Murray won. Jonathan Ross, Richard Branson and others joined tennis stars Tomas Berdych, Ivan Lendl, Tim Henman and Murray for an entertaining doubles match at the Queen’s Club.

According to a charity page put together by the AEGON Championships, the event itself wasn’t just a huge success, but the monetary gains were huge as well. Donors contributed nearly 300 percent of the target for donations, with 276,323.66 Euros raised. This was great news for the charitable cause in support of Hutchins and the fight against cancer would lead to even better news just over a month later.

On July 22, Hutchins brightened the tennis world’s day by announcing on Twitter that his doctor, Professor David Cunningham, told him that he was in remission. After fighting against a terrible disease, Hutchins could finally look forward to jumping back on the tennis court.

As if nothing had happened, Hutchins was back at it again, starting a full slate of tournaments with the same partner, Fleming, in 2014. While no match will ever be as tough as the battle he has already won, Hutchins looks to get back towards the top of the tennis world once again.

The Wimbledon native does not want to be seen as the guy that beat cancer, but tennis professional Ross Hutchins. After his win at the 2014 Australian Open, Hutchins said, “I'm a player, and I want to be treated as a player.” For his own peace of mind, Hutchins doesn’t have to worry about earning respect on the Pro Tour ever again.


Andrew Eichenholz
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