Marcos Baghdatis, who missed the clay season with injuries, is playing Nottingham this week and aiming for a return to the Top 10.
He defeated Bejamin Becker in straight sets, describing the win in an interview with the Nottingham Post as "my first match after seven weeks, so playing the way I played I think it is very positive."
"Mentally it was a good break," said Baghdatis, ranked No. 132 after poor results and various physical issues. "I was a bit tired, and also I had health issues and injures and I was working hard to fix those."
But the former Australian Open finalist, who is married to former pro Karolina Sprem, says he enjoyed being a new father during his time away from the tour. "Things have changed, I'm a dad so it's a bit different," he said.
However, he is still motivated to continue playing, aiming for a return to the Top 10.
"I want to get back to where I was before—I've done it all before and it is a big challenge for me," he said, adding he would like to play more big matches in big stadiums.
Baghdatis has also received a wildcard into the Queen's Club tournament the week after Nottingham.