RYAN Peniston’s surprise success at the cinch Championships has handed Andy Murray a boost for Wimbledon.

Peniston saw off Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-4, 6-2 at the Queen’s club.

And the world number 37 Humbert is one of the players Murray needs to overtake in the rankings if he is to be seeded at Wimbledon next month.

Peniston’s win will therefore have been cheered by the three time grand slam winner.

But Peniston was not aware his victory would help Murray.

“I actually had no idea,” said Peniston.

“You telling me that was the first time I had heard that but I’m happy to help Andy in any way.

“He’s awesome and what he’s doing is unbelievable stuff.

A place in the quarter-finals at Queen’s might now be enough to place Murray back in the top 32, meaning he can avoid drawing one of the big names in the early rounds at SW19.

Murray, on a 10-match winning streak on the grass, faces Australian world number 18 Alex de Minaur in the first round this afternoon.

Cameron Norrie followed Peniston on to centre court yesterday and got his grass-court season off to a winning start by beating Miomir Kecmanovic.

The British number one was given a decent work-out by Serbian Kecmanovic, fending off one break point in the first set with some heroic defending at the net.

The 27-year-old, runner-up at Queen’s two years ago, was taken to a second-set tie-break and let three match points slip before converting a fourth to wrap up a 6-4 7-6 (5) victory.

Norrie said: “It feels good to be back on the grass and back here playing in London in front of a full crowd.

“It wasn’t easy to get over the line. I had a couple of chances towards the end of the second set and I donated my serve at 3-1 up.

“I had a number of match points and it was just nice to see that forehand fly long at the end. It’s always tricky, the first match on grass. I was really happy to get over the line.”

British tennis fans are also in for an extra treat this week as Norrie and Murray will team up for the first time in the doubles competition.

Murray memorably won the doubles title at Queen’s with Feliciano Lopez in 2019 as he began his comeback from hip surgery.

And Norrie cannot wait to line up alongside the legendary Scotsman.

“I just asked him ‘do you want to play doubles at Queen’s?’,” said Norrie.

“He said ‘yeah, let’s do it’ and it was pretty simple,” added Norrie.

“I’m just going to enjoy it and get another match on the grass and hopefully just pick his brains on a few things. Obviously he’s got a lot of confidence at the moment and he’s a good guy to play with.”