EVEN the torrential Glasgow rain cannot extinguish the fire which burns within Marcus Willis, aka the 'Willbomb'.

In case you were wondering, a Tuesday morning start on Court No 6 at Scotstoun Leisure Centre - mixing with the gym crowd, the toddlers and the mini kickers - isn't exactly Centre Court at Wimbledon. Only a smattering of curious locals have taken the organisers up on the free admittance for this week's AEGON Pro Series, rather than the small bands of bandana-clad wannabees who caused such a fuss at the All England Club last year.

Rather than the greatest player in the history of the sport - and the man of the moment - Roger Federer, today's opponent is an unheralded French qualifier called Nicolas Rosenzweig who is ranked 1653 in the world. Even going on to win the entire tournament wouldn't cratch the surface of the £55,000 Willis earned when battling through seven rounds of pre-qualifying, qualifying and the first round of Wimbledon during the summer before going down in a blaze of glory in three sets against Federer.

An everyman figure catapulted suddenly into fame and fortune - he was nicknamed Cartman for a not entirely flattering comparison to the South Park character - you might imagine it cannot be easy for the 26-year-old to reacquaint himself to such down-at-heel surroundings. But in fact this feelgood sensation of last year's Wimbledon was back fulfilling a Coventry League fixture within 24 hours of that fateful meeting with Federer and he also plans to be as good as his word when he talks of knuckling down in his bid to prove that he is far more than a one-week wonder.

Anyway, after making light work of Rosenzweig by a 6-1, 6-3 scoreline - his raw hitting ability there for all to see - Willis answers questions and poses for photographs with the good-natured ease of a man who has just had to put up with a HELLO magazine shoot for his wedding. Watched by his new wife Jenny yesterday, a glamorous figure who talked him out of retiring in the months leading up to his SW19 epiphany, whatever happens this is one story with a happy ending, with the newlywed couple due to celebrate the birth of their first child together in March.

What else have we missed since Wimbledon? Well, aside from one Futures win out in Kuwait, Willis has been unable to kick on too much due to a stomach problem and a fractured third finger in his left hand. But this 26-year-old, the No 5 seed in a strong line-up in Glasgow this week, has a ranking of 440 compared to his pre-Wimbledon figure of 772 and is determined that he hasn't seen the last of the limelight.

He has previous at this venue, having won his first-ever pro tournament in this city and made it through qualifying on another occasion, only to lose out to his friend Dan Evans, whose recent resurgence he would dearly love to replicate. Having played against Federer in a shop-bought, ever-so slightly discoloured Roger Federer outfit, now he has a three-year kit deal with Mizuno to speak of.

Perhaps his application hasn't always been the greatest - as a junior he was sent home form the Australian Open in disgrace - but having a family to fend for has focused his mind on his pursuit of a top 100 place. "I've got family now, two step sons and a baby on the way in March," Willis told Herald Sport. "So it is all going off. I have got something to work for now, a reason to succeed. I am very, very happy. I don't mind leaving the social life behind for a bit for that.

"If I had got in to Wimbledon on a wild card and won one match I probably wouldn't have the same kind of belief but I know I can consistently beat top players fair and square," he added. "When I retire I would love to be able to say that I am a top 100 singles player. But what if I am not? I still had a great run at Wimbledon, I played on Centre Court against the greatest player of all time. It is not too bad a way to sign out. But I want to be a top 100 player. I want to play the Grand Slams. I want to be on the same tour as those guys."

It should be noted, of course, that his opponent at Centre Court on Wimbledon that day hasn't done too badly since then either. Willis jokes about how Federer's Australian Open win proves that he soaked up a few hints and tips from him - "I take full credit for that," he jokes - but genuinely he was delighted to see the Swiss, so magnanimous towards him on the night, succeed. "I was heavily strapped up against Roger - obviously I would have beaten him love, love and love if I wasn't!" says Willis. "No, I'm joking, it is great for tennis to see him go on and do that."

While the trappings of fame are a bit "weird", at least his story is an inspiration to children. "I met my now wife after Wimbledon one night and she said that if you get here, have a shave and put casual clothes on I don't think it will be so bad," recalled Willis, who was joined in the second round in Glasgow yesterday by Scotland's Jonny O'Mara, with wild card Aidan McHugh set to enter the action today. "We got about 50m down the street and people are shouting 'Willbomb' at me out the window. Even in the USA, I was getting on a plane and a guy said 'are you that guy?'

"I don't think I am a celebrity, I just had a nice couple of weeks at Wimbledon," he added. "It is a bit weird when people want photos and autographs. But it is nice, a very positive thing. The main thing for me is to be inspiring kids, and telling them not to give up. I am trying to get my rankings up and hoping that my ranking and what I did last year will get me a wild card for the main draw for Wimbledon. The perks there are nice, the players room, the food and you get looked after really well. But you have to earn it."