Ross Hutchins will make his return to full-time tennis next month after facing his biggest opponent head on, and coming out a winner.

The 28-year-old from Wimbledon was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma 12 months ago, but after undergoing chemotherapy treatment at the Royal Marsden Hospital, he has made a full recovery.

Now the doubles player, formerly number 26 in the world, is heading off to Spain with the elite GB men’s squad where he will join up with court partner Colin Fleming.

Hutchins, who helped raise £276,000 through his “Rally against cancer” campaign, will be put through his paces at the La Manga Club by LTA doubles coach Louis Cayer, ahead of the Australian Open in January, and the Davis Cup in March.

Hutchins, who has also been on the pundits couch during his spell away, said: “I think everything happens for a reason. When I was diagnosed, I almost looked at it as a chance to do and succeed at something else, which is what the media work has been.

“I’ve really enjoyed the punditry and commentary. I think it might be something I want to do in the future, but it’s definitely showed me that I am OK if tennis stops.

“But I feel like I have another eight to 10 years in the game, I love tennis first and foremost, I’m a tennis player and the aim for me is to be better than what I was before.

“I still feel like Colin and I have a lot to achieve in the game and that is the ultimate goal.”

To mark his return, Hutchins posed for a series of portraits at the Queen’s Tennis Club to show his support for Cancer Research UK’s “Every moment counts” campaign.

He said: “When you have fought cancer, moments in life that once might have seemed very ordinary can suddenly mean everything to you.

“With the help of my family and friends, being able to pick up my tennis racquet and play again after my cancer fight was an amazing feeling and one of my proudest moments.

“I want to encourage anyone who has been touched by cancer or knows a loved one who has, to share their moment and inspire others and show that we are all united to help beat cancer sooner.”

In preparation for La Manga, Hutchins will be joining his friend and Wimbledon champion Andy Murray in Miami for a serious dose of training.

Hutchins said: “It will be a good test because I know that I used to love it. It was big thing for me while I was going through chemo because you have your thoughts of what you miss.

“That was one thing I really thought that I wanted to get healthy for, because I want to be back there this year and really feel good again.”

For more on the Every moment counts appeal, go to everymomentcounts.cancerresearchuk.org.

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Watching on: Ross Hutchins enjoys Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory from the stands    WI77295