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By Jamie Baker

May 2005:

CELAYA, a fairly small town in Mexico, went, in the space of seven days, from a place I had never heard of to a place I am certain never to forget. Why? Because that is where I won my first senior title.

Starting out playing tennis for a career is a unique experience. It is hard to explain how a week starts almost exactly the same as any other (settle in at hotel, get comfortable with surroundings, practise on courts, etc) but then gets better and better — because you’re winning.

Having lost in the first round the previous week, I was looking to gain some confidence and get my tour up and running. I am going to jump a couple of rounds to the quarter-finals. I played Jeremy Wurtzman, from the United States. I lost the first set 6-0. My only thought as I was sitting in the chair was to make the second set competitive.

I took one point and one game at a time. It did not take me long to figure out that my opponent was not too comfortable when it was competitive. I won the next two sets 6-3, 6-4.

My semi-final was very similar against a slightly higher ranked and better player. This time I lost the first set 6-1. Although I was annoyed at being in the same position, I employed the same strategy but this time had the confidence of what I had achieved the previous day. An hour later, I was dominating. From 6-1, 3-1, and 40-15 down, I won the match 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Although I had beaten some good players on the way to the final, Marcelo Melo, of Brazil, was of a higher level. He had won the previous tournament and was on a nine-match winning streak. Keith, my coach, and I knew I was going to have to play the smartest match of my career to win. I had a clear game plan and I managed to execute it. I won 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

My first title had taught me one distinct lesson: as long as I am out on court, I have not lost the match. I learnt to take one point at a time and see what happens. To win a $10,000 (about £5,460) event overseas at 18 has given me a huge amount of confidence. There are so many different things to come to terms with besides just playing tennis. That I managed this better than anyone else in that particular week is very rewarding.

There was no time to celebrate. Next stop Valencia, Venezuela. After a 20-hour journey consisting of taxis, buses and planes, a drop in altitude and a night short of sleep, I was due on court for my first-round match of the Venezuela Satellite, a four-week circuit where points are converted to ATP ranking points.

To read the full article go to : http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,5205-1630833,00.html