Baker makes full recovery

Baker: Back in action

In the wake of his return to tennis on Tuesday, Scottish up-and-comer Jamie Baker is determined to spend the rest of his career on the court and not in a hospital bed.

The 21-year-old was out of the game for three months after being diagnosed with Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura .

Baker contracted the bleeding disorder while training in Florida and spent three days in intensive care. He counts his heavy schedule as a possible reason for the illness.

He said: "It probably wasn't surprising I got ill, I'm a lot more body aware now and able to train smarter.

"I was somebody who really did like to grind out the hours but I'm realising now there's a smarter way to do things.".

Although he was beaten 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 by Australian Samuel Groth at the Slazenger Open in Nottingham on Tuesday, the youngster feels incredibly lucky to be back in action.

He admitted: "If you'd asked me when I was lying in a hospital bed if I'd be playing here, I'd have laughed.

"I was very, very tired and for weeks after I came out of hospital I felt like I couldn't get out of bed. I wasn't able to look more than a week in advance."

A wild card for Wimbledon now means that Baker will compete in this year's tournament. Undoubtedly a welcome surprise after what has been a difficult few months for the Scot.

"It's definitely not the ideal preparation but the way I'm looking at it, with what I went through, if I'm fit to play - which I am - it's a big call to turn down an opportunity like that," he said.

"Especially when you don't know when you're going to have an opportunity like that again."