The XL Bermuda Open proper begins today and for all of the players with it comes the hope and expectation of a successful week.

For many of those involved it is another step on their way to the becoming household names. In the past the likes of Andy Roddick and James Blake have passed through the Coral Beach event on their way to greatness.

For others it represents the chance to return from injury, or rediscover the form that has eluded them of late. For all the event represents possibility - on the Monday of a tennis tournament anyone can still win it.

American Robby Ginepri falls into the last of the three categories. In 2005 he was ranked 15 in the world, had beaten Roddick to win in Indianapolis, was only denied two more titles by defeats at the hands of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and most famously that year went five sets with Agassi in the semi-finals of the US Open.

This week he is ranked 88, having begun the year 171.

It represents a rise, and fall, and rise again that isn't uncommon in tennis, and for Ginepri this week is about slowly, steadily, working his way back to where he believes he should be, challenging the likes of Federer, Nadal and Roddick on a weekly basis.

"The '05 season was my best season so far, and the summer that I had was definitely memorable, and I played a lot of matches," he said.

" Then I got off to a bit of a rocky start in 2006 and it just snowballed into a terrible season and I couldn't really get out of that.

"You get stuck in a mindset were you're thinking about defending so many (ranking) points, and protecting your ranking, which is definitely not the way to play. It's not how I got there, and I wasn't as hungry as I was the year before. I had to re-dedicate myself to the game again, and ask myself what I had done to get where I was. I had taken it for granted a little bit I think."

As is so often the case, a change of coach has brought about a change in fortunes and focus. Ginepri's rise in the rankings since January has come courtesy of three semi-final appearances at San Jose, Las Vegas and Delray Beach.

"I had three really good weeks in a row. And I've got a new coach, Jose Higueras, and he's made some big adjustments to my game mentally, and to my work ethic out on the court. I've been with him almost a year.

"It (the new approach) is actually honestly about taking baby steps, taking one day at a time. If you do the right things everyday then we think good things are going to happen. If you just put yourself in the right opportunities time and time again then good things will happen."

As with all players, Ginepri's main goal for the week is to walk away having won the tournament, but he also recognises the importance of just having a good week. The comeback is slowly gathering pace, and maintaining it is just as important.

"Obviously the main objective is to win the tournament," he said. "But if you are winning matches, and you are progressing, taking little steps forward then that's the game plan.

"You just want to give yourself the best chance to succed out here. Prepare, do everything right, make sure you're mentally ready and if you're not then you probably shouldn't be here.

"It's a good opportunity for me to climb the rankings again, and get some extra points and definitely get some matches, which I need because I haven't had too many this year, and last year as well, and hopefully I can go pretty far here. The more matches and more styles of people I play on the clay then I'll adapt to it a little bit better and give myself more opportunities."