To continue his latest comeback, onetime tennis prodigy Brian Baker has returned to the ATP Challenger that helped him start the best run of his career nearly four years ago.

In 2012, Baker was 26 and already had endured six surgeries – left knee; left hip, twice; right hip; sports hernia; and elbow reconstruction. He wanted, however, to give his career another shot. Ranked No. 293, Baker first needed to qualify for the Savannah Challenger.

Eight matches later, he had won the $50,000 event. Later that year, he’d go on to reach the final at the Open de Nice Côte d’Azur, win a round at Roland Garros and make the fourth round at Wimbledon.

“It started here,” Baker said of Savannah.

On Monday, the 30-year-old American picked up where he left off. Winning 81 per cent of his first-serve points, Baker dismissed his 18-year-old compatriot Tommy Paul, last year’s French Open junior boys’ champion, 6-3, 6-1 in 58 minutes to move into the second round. At 1-all in the second set, Baker erased the only break point he faced with his only ace and cruised for the remainder of the match.

“It still feels a little different than it does when you’ve played a million matches,” Baker said. “But once I settled in the first 15 minutes of the match, played a few good games, I think I was able to put pressure on him whenever he hit a shorter ball, and maybe took him out of his game a little bit.”

Baker is playing in just his fourth tournament of 2016. After his 2012 run, which included wins over then-No. 13 Gael Monfils and Benoit Paire, in addition to a career-high Emirates ATP Ranking of No. 52, the Nashville native had to retire from his second-round match at the 2013 Australian Open because of a right-knee injury.

During the next two years, he’d play only 10 matches and undergo five more surgeries, including one to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee. The final surgery, in December 2014, repaired cartilage in the same knee. “It’s just been a really long recovery,” Baker told the ATPWorldTour.com after that operation.

But on Monday, he showed no signs of any lingering injuries. The former Roland Garros junior boys’ finalist slid freely on the Har-Tru, chasing down drop shots and attacking the net against Paul. The only semblance of a brace that Baker wears is a little pre-wrap around his right knee to help stabilize his IT band.

“I still need to get stronger. I need to get faster. I need to get fitter. But as far as pain-wise, it felt good,” he said.

The veteran has taken his time in coming back this year. He used his protected ranking to play in the main draw of the Australian Open and the Miami Open presented by Itau. Earlier this month, he received a wild card into qualifying at the Fayez Sarofim & Co U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston.

Baker, now ranked No. 800, could use his protected ranking more often earlier in the season and play in more bigger events. But he accepted a wild card to return to Skidaway Island this week so he could gain match experience and enjoy Savannah once more.

Baker stays in a home nearby The Landings Club, and the local fans show him neighborly love. After his match against Paul, about a handful of supporters congratulated him on his play. “Great to see you back,” one fan said.

“Thank you. I appreciate it,” Baker said.

Despite his favourable memories, he said he’s resisted putting any pressure on himself this week or this year. He wants to play 15 to 20 matches and then evaluate his level of play.

“I told myself this tournament… be a little bit nicer to yourself, realize that you’re going to play some poor games, you’re going to hit some poor shots, but you’re playing a lot better and you can do well here, and I think I did that,” Baker said. “It’s going to take a little bit of time but (Monday) was a great step in the right direction.”

World No. 4 Stan Wawrinka helped launch the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open tram on Tuesday. The Swiss star, along with Tournament Director Thierry Grin, organisers and media, took the tram from Place de Neuve to the United Nations.

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“The tram looks great. It’s a very nice initiative from the tournament,” said Wawrinka. “It’s always a pleasure to play at home, especially here, in my region. I’m getting ready for some busy weeks ahead on clay and hope that I can play my best in front of my Swiss fans.”

The reigning Roland Garros champion is currently at home working on fitness and will return to practice on clay tomorrow, in preparation for his next tournament, the Mutua Madrid Open.

Wawrinka will return to the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open, to be held from 15-21 May, for a second straight year. The 28-player field will also feature top American John Isner, defending champion Thomaz Bellucci and Croatian Marin Cilic, who was awarded the first wild card. 

Marcos Baghdatis was denied the 300th match win of his career on Tuesday at the BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy. Marco Cecchinato saved all four break points he faced to defeat the fifth seed 6-2, 6-4 in 75 minutes. He’ll next face Damir Dzumhur, who last week qualified for the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters and reached the third round (l. to Raonic).

Seventh seed Paolo Lorenzi recorded his 10th victory of the year by beating Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-4 in 84 minutes. Later in the day, former World No. 7 Fernando Verdasco – returning to the tournament for the first time since 2006, hit 18 aces to scrap past qualifier Aldin Setkic 6-7(5), 6-1, 7-5 in two hours and 34 minutes.

Top seed Bernard Tomic will open his campaign at the ATP World Tour 250 tournament against Robin Haase, who overcame qualifier Andrea Arnaboldi 7-6(4), 6-4 in one hour and 48 minutes.

“It was a long match, even for clay,” said Haase. “I was lucky to be two breaks up in the first set, but then he came back and it was totally different. I should have won that set 6-3 or maybe 6-4. But then I got the tie-break and I came back from a break down in the second. I’m pleased with the victory.”

Second seed Ivo Karlovic will face Lucas Pouille, who overcame Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-4. Karlovic is one match win away from 300 victories.

“I am happy right now,” said Pouille. “It is never easy to enter a tournament after a good week in Monte-Carlo, especially against Dusan who I lost to twice already. It wasn’t a high-quality match but I tried to do simple things, to serve well and to be solid during important points.”

If they were looking for inspiration ahead of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, David Ferrer and Richard Gasquet may have found it as they visited one of the most impressive football grounds in the world on Monday – the Camp Nou, home of FC Barcelona.

Ferrer and Gasquet were welcomed to the club by Jordi Cardoner, vice president of FC Barcelona, and Jordi Penas, the director of the FC Barcelona museum. As well as being presented with replica shirts bearing their names, the pair were treated to a private tour of the Camp Nou, including a visit to the museum, which houses Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or awards, the shirt of legendary player Ronald Koeman, and FC Barcelona’s countless trophies.

Ferrer, a Barcelona fan, had been to the ground many times before for matches, but never pitch side. 

“I’m a supporter of Barcelona and it was very nice to have a chance to do the tour and be here in the Nou Camp,” said Ferrer. “Lionel Messi is my favourite player. He’s the best player in the world. I’ve never seen anyone like him.” 

The Spaniard is a four-time former finalist in Barcelona, losing to Rafael Nadal on each occasion. He is making his return from a calf injury this week, after being forced to miss the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, and faces Radek Stepanek in his opening second-round match.

Gasquet is seeded fourth at this ATP World Tour 500 clay-court tournament and is looking to bounce back from a second-round exit in Monte-Carlo.

“It’s important to be back in Barcelona,” said Gasquet, who is playing here for the first time since 2011. “I hope I will play well. It’s a favourite tournament for me, a historic one, a lot of big players won here. I like playing here.

“It was crazy to visit the [FC Barcelona] museum,” continued Gasquet, who supports PSG. “It’s an incredible experience for me, especially being on the pitch. It’s so big, it’s amazing. I’m a football fan and to be here in the Camp Nou, it’s amazing for me.

Rafael Nadal will begin his quest for a ninth title at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell against fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers on Wednesday. Nadal, who lifted his 28th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (d. Monfils) last week, leads Granollers 3-0 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. Granollers struck 10 aces in a 6-4, 6-3 win over Daniel Munoz de la Nava for his second-round berth.

Alexandr Dolgopolov, the No. 11 seed, reached the third round by saving one match point at 7/8 in the second set tie-break against Evegeny Donskoy. Dolgopolov triumphed 4-6, 7-6(9), 6-4.

Former World No. 8 Mikhail Youzhny proved to be too strong for Rajeev Ram in a 6-2, 6-2 win over 69 minutes. He now faces No. 12 seed Fabio Fognini in the second round.