MARCOS Baghdatis hopes that blasting his way to victory in the Aegon Trophy final will be his launch pad back to the tennis elite.
The Cypriot beat Australia's Marinko Matosevic 6-4 6-3 in one hour and 15 minutes to clinch his first singles title since 2010.
There was no fist pump or cry of joy from the former Wimbledon semi-finalist when Matosevic conceded championship point, just a quiet skyward stare.
Baghdatis tilted his head back as he walked towards the net with the look of a man liberated.
While the 2006 Australian Open runner-up and former world number eight admits he has a long way to go before returning to the peak of his powers, he can at least say he has taken a triumphant step in the right direction.
"I don't think by winning a Challenger I can say I'm back in the top ten, but I'm in a good way and this win is a good for me," Baghdatis told the Post.
"I will try to play all my matches like I played this week."
For Baghdatis, taking a detour to the Nottingham Tennis Centre in Beeston for the Aegon Trophy was originally a way to ease back in after an eight-week injury absence.
Just as impulse led him to the tournament, the world 132 said he trusted his instincts in an effort to rediscover himself.
"After these wins I've kind of found myself, my game, my attitude on court and the way I want to play tennis," said Baghdatis.
"I'm alone here with no coach. I'm playing tennis and doing things that I want to do and don't have someone telling me what to do. That is a big change for me.
"I guess it makes me feel much freer in the head. I don't think so much, I just act and do what I think is good on court and this has helped me a lot this last week."
And with that he declared his affection for the city.
"I've just won a tournament here, so it is good emotions and good vibes – I love it," said Baghdatis.
A rain-affected weekend started with Kristyna Pliskova overcoming Zarina Diyas in the Aegon Trophy women's final to clinch her second singles title in Britain this year.
Czech World No.118 Pliskova started her grass-court campaign in style by beating fifth seed Diyas 6-2 3-6 6-4. Her Aegon Trophy triumph follows hard-court success in Preston earlier this year where she claimed the Aegon GB Pro-Series South Ribble title.
Victory also saw Pliskova go one step further than her twin sister Karolina, who was a runner-up in Nottingham last year.
The second set which Pliskova dropped against Kazakhstan's World No.86 in the final was the only one she allowed to slip during the tournament.
"I feel so tired after that because it was mentally tough. I'm tired but happy," said Pliskova.
"She played so well and came out more aggressive in the second set than she did in the first."
After Diyas had her service game broken in the deciding set she hit back brilliantly, managing to save championship point on the way to breaking back in the next game.
However, the 20-year-old admits fatigue affected her as former girls' Wimbledon champion Pliskova sealed the title by breaking her for a second successive time.
"In that last game I just got tired, I double faulted and made mistakes," said Diyas. "That third set was really tough because she was serving really good. I've had a good week on grass so I'm exciting going towards Wimbledon."
