Willis enters first event since becoming a father

Remember Marcus Willis—the virtually unknown and affable British character who became one of the biggest stories of Wimbledon last year? Ranked outside the Top 700, Willis went through pre-qualifying to earn his way to the second round of the grass-court major where he found himself facing Roger Federer on Centre Court.

The story was unbelievable to the many fans mesmerized by Willis' every move, but it wasn't so shocking for the 26-year-old.

"I was ranked No. 770, but I had stopped playing and was going into coaching, so obviously I was playing a lot better than that," Willis told Baseline. "It's a bit different but it's great for the headline, it's great for the story, but I was a lot better than No. 770."

The left-hander has since risen to No. 401, closing in on his career-high ranking of No. 322. After four months sidelined with an abdominal injury following Wimbledon, Willis traveled to Kuwait for an ITF Pro Circuit $10,000—a far cry from the biggest stage in tennis—where he swept both draws.

"I've got a friend there with an apartment so I went out there and stayed there. I won the tournament. It's super relaxed out there," Willis said. "I don't mind where I play to be honest. I'll play anywhere. I just want to get my ranking up and be at Grand Slams by right."

Staying relaxed seems to be the key to Willis' success. He's somehow still relaxed even with his wife of five months, Jenny Bate, giving birth to their first child last month.

Martha is Bate's third child. Willis is now also stepfather to her two young sons (ages three and four).

"It's awesome; a nice little change up. Obviously, a bit less sleep in the evening, but it's lovely. I'm much more relaxed. It was the best experience I've experienced actually..." Willis said. "It's quite a crowd. I've gone from one to five in just over a year."

This week, the Brit is away from his young family for the first time since Martha's birth. He's the second seed at an ITF Pro Circuit $15,000 in Vero Beach, Fla., which is benefiting the Mardy Fish Children's Foundation.

Since falling to Federer last June, Willis has competed in just six events, but he's successfully inching closer to his goal of returning to Centre Court.

"This year, I want to keep going forward and playing well, but sometimes ranking doesn't reflect that. I'd love to be in the Top 300 by the end of this year..." Willis said. "Obviously, the long term goal is Top 100 and playing Grand Slams."