BBC Sports Personality of the Year: Andy Murray’s Wimbledon win beats my recovery from Hodgkin’s lymphoma, says Ross Hutchins

Strong return: Ross Hutchins was diagnosed with cancer a year ago (Getty)

Ross Hutchins says Andy Murray winning Wimbledon this year meant more to him than beating cancer. The British doubles player is on the verge of making his comeback after missing the whole of last season to battle Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“None of that is as important as Andy winning Wimbledon,” he told the BBC. “It was amazing to become healthy, but that was the most incredible moment of the year. Cancer and the whole treatment, you forget about it.” He was speaking ahead of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony this evening, in which Murray is the favourite to win the prize.

In remission since July, Hutchins is now back training at full intensity and plans to make his comeback later this month at the Brisbane International – the same tournament where Murray made an emotional dedication to his close friend after winning the singles title last season.

The 28-year-old resumes his doubles partnership with Colin Fleming. “We want to be the No 1 team in the world,” he said. “I know a lot of people say that but we feel like we have the game plan and we’re still relatively young in the game of doubles.

“I hope my experiences over the past 12 months can help give us that 10 per cent extra to take us from a top 10 team to a really, really top team who are pushing for Grand Slam titles and Masters Series titles. We’ve beaten pretty much everyone in the world and I do feel like we can be No 1 in the world.”

Hutchins was diagnosed with cancer a year ago having suffered from back pain since Britain’s Davis Cup tie against Belgium in April 2012.

“A lot of tennis players and athletes get back pains, hip pains, knee pains - they’re probably the most common pains we get. But this was something more extreme,” he said.