Tennis player is back on court - just weeks after coming out of intensive care

Two months ago Ben Mullis (23) was in intensive care with blood clots on the brain and a fractured leg.

He underwent five hours of brain surgery.

But last week he was playing tennis for Leicestershire, after having 33 staples removed from his head and making a recovery that amazed his American doctors, his family and his friends.

“My doctor in America was planning a six-month recovery programme for me” Ben told The Mail.

“He was thinking that because of my serious head injuries I would probably need speech therapy, and might need to learn how to read and write again.

“He was very, very shocked at my recovery.”

Even one of Ben’s friends, Drake University tennis player Alen Salibasic, said after the accident: “I think Ben’s got a tough recovery ahead of him.

“The more support, prayers and well-wishes he can get, the easier this battle will be.”

How does Ben explain his astonishing recovery?

“I suppose I was very fit when the accident happened” said Ben.

“I just tried to stay as positive as I could after the accident - and I was just lucky not to have any long-term issues.”

Promising tennis player Ben went to Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, USA, on a tennis scholarship in 2011.

He graduated in 2015 and has spent the last year working as an assistant tennis coach at Utah State University.

Ben’s accident happened on May 19.

He was struck by a car while he was crossing a road in Salt Lake City, shortly after watching a concert with some friends from the Harborough area who were visiting him.

“I remember the split second before the car was going to hit me - then it’s blank for quite a while” said Ben.