Briton Tim Henman secured only his second victory since Wimbledon when he beat French qualifier Antony Dupuis 7-5, 6-3 to reach the second round of the Vienna Trophy tournament on Monday.
Henman had won each of their three previous meetings but had just two victories in his last five tournaments and missed recent events in Bangkok and Tokyo due to a back injury.
"Obviously, I've been working hard back home and putting a lot of time on the court and in the gym, but when you step out on the match court it is the next level," Henman told reporters.
"Not only was I really pleased with the way I played, I was more interested in how I would feel physically and I feel I came through very, very well.
"Today I didn't feel anything. There were no aches and pains, no twinges. Second point going up for the smash I'm thinking this could hurt, but fortunately it didn't and that's a good sign. The next 24 hours is still important, but I do feel confident that I'll react okay."
Henman looked flat for most of the opening set but his first chance came when, leading 3-2, he earned a break point by stepping into his return and making a forehand winner down the line.
He wasted the opportunity with a backhand error but with the set seemingly destined for a tiebreak, Dupuis struck a forehand long to give Henman a set point at 6-5, and then hit his only double-fault of the match.
Henman looked sharper in the second set, although several backhand errors caused
He broke back immediately, however, and again to lead 4-2 when Dupuis hit a wild forehand beyond the baseline.
Henman consolidated his lead by holding to love, hitting a pair of aces on the final two points. He then failed to convert two match points on his opponent's serve at 5-3 but safely served out the match.
"I felt like I wanted to be very meticulous and disciplined with my service games, and I think I did a very good job with that," Henman said.
"I got a break out of nothing, then the first game of the second set it was a lapse in concentration more than anything.
"But I do like the way I responded from that. I just played another good service game and just felt all round it was a good performance."
Henman's next opponent will be third-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek or Luis Horna of Peru.
Sixth seed Fernando Gonzalez eased into the second round with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Tomas Berdych.
Austrian wild card Oliver Marach, who is partnering 38-year old Thomas Muster in the doubles in the former world number one's first professional match since 1999, upset Czech Jiri Novak 6-4, 6-3.
The top seed is Argentina's David Nalbandian, who has failed to get past the quarter-finals in his two previous appearances. The second seed is Gaston Gaudio, who has won a career-best five titles this season, behind only world number one Roger Federer (11) and French Open champion Rafael Nadal (10).
