Hutchins calls time on 2009
British doubles No.1 maintains top 50 status for second year…
Ross Hutchins has called time on his 2009 season having ended the year ranked inside the world’s top 50 for the second year running.
Hutchins, who finishes the year ranked No.50 in the ATP World Tour doubles rankings, also maintains his British doubles No.1 status ahead of Ken Skupski (No.54), Colin Fleming (No.56) and Jonathan Marray (No.92).
It has been a turbulent season for the Wimbledon native, who split with regular partner Stephen Huss in September following a difficult summer period after playing with the Australian for over a year.
But there have been highlights for Hutchins this season, both on and off-court. Playing with Jordan Kerr, he reached the final of the Ratuken Japan Open in October, losing 6-2 5-7 10-8 to Austrian duo Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer.
Hutchins also continued to support best mate and world No.4 Andy Murray as training and practice partner, playing with the Scot at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, where the pair reached the quarter-finals.
The duo also played together to represent Great Britain in the Davis Cup play-off against Poland, but lost to Marcin Matkowski and Mariusz Fyrstenberg as Team GB saw themselves relegated to the fourth tier of the competition.
The 24-year-old was candid in response to criticism of the squad. “Apart from Andy, we all have to improve and work harder so that we are able to win matches for our country and prove to the nation that we are good enough to compete at a high level with the best players in the world in a tough arena home or away.
“I personally will work my socks off on my game on and off the court in the gym, as until we are at the top of the game we can all improve and I know that we can all do more to get wins for our country.”
In the wake of his split with Huss, Hutchins is now embarking on a new long-term partnership with Kerr.
After debuting together on a run to the quarter-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open the pair have played four events in 2009, and are confident of making 2010 a year to remember.
Though, for Ross, 2009 will be one year he never forgets – he also became an uncle for the first time to baby Harry.
