He?s swapped barristers for ball boys, is serving aces not legal papers and Greg Rusedski is finally out of the courtroom and back on the court ? and just wants to play some tennis.

After only three tournaments in nearly eight months, the 30-year-old big-serving left hander is relieved to be able to finally put behind him the controversy over his much-publicised drugs case and concentrate on the sport in which he has plummeted down the rankings to 105.

The Canadian-born Brit, once ranked as high as fourth in the world, tested positive for the banned substance nandrolone last year but maintained his innocence throughout a lengthy investigation, claiming the drug was contained in supplements provided to players by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).

Last month in Montreal an independent anti-doping panel cleared him of any wrongdoing and after Davis Cup victories for his adopted nation against Switzerland, the Bermuda Open is the first stop on his comeback trail.

?I really needed to just start playing again,? said the affable but earnest Rusedski just before taking to the court yesterday to put Bermuda?s youth through their paces in a junior clinic.

?I had heard Bermuda was a nice play to come and play with good courts and it seemed like the right tournament for me. If you look at the entries in other years it seems like you guys have had some pretty strong players down here over the years.

?It is a tournament that is well thought of and even though clay isn?t my favourite surface I thought this would be a good place to come.?

Rusedski, whose wife is accompanying him during his time on the Island, arrived on Saturday and has looked pretty strong on the practice courts, with his booming serve still seeming to pose a threat to his knock-up partners.

Having mixed it with the best of them at Grand Slams, to play in a Challenger event ? and only be seeded five ? could be seen as somewhat of a comedown for the British number two.

?No, not at all,? he countered with a slight weariness in his voice that suggests he has encountered more journalists in the past few months than tennis opponents.

?The good thing about the rankings system in tennis is that you have to earn everything, nothing is given away ? there is no cheating in this game.

?Andre Agassi had to play a few Challengers when he dropped down the rankings and it is the same for me. Things are very tight in men?s tennis at the moment ? there isn?t a lot to choose between the players at the top.

?There is a lot of depth nowadays and there are probably 300 guys playing now who are all strong players. You just have to work your way up and Challengers are good ways of picking up points.?

Despite his 105 ranking, Despite his 105 ranking, everyone knows that Rusedski is going to be a player to watch in this tournament, although the big man himself is being more than a little cagey about his chances.

?I just want to play as many games as possible,? said the 1997 US Open finalist, who takes on German Bjorn Phau tomorrow night.

?I don?t feel like there is any pressure on me. I just want to go out there and give it a shot. Clay is not really my surface but it has been a funny few months for me and I missed the indoor season and the hard court season ? normally my best times of the year.

?I don?t think I need to justify myself to anyone.?

And a final word on the drugs controversy that will now forever dog his career?

?I am innocent,? he asserted.

?I have said from the outset that I was innocent of any wrongdoing ? and now I have been proved right.?