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CYPRIOT BAGDATIS IS GREAT!


bides

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I saw the match against Roddick too. Baghdatis was on fire! The fans were awesome, chanting after every point. They must have been getting on Roddicks nerves. To be number 2 in the world, and have the crowd supporting your number 56th ranked opponent. Baghdatis was just feeding off the energy of the crowd. Showing his appreciation to the fans and doing his stavro after the match. That's what I like to see. His gomena is not bad to look at either. She got emotional after his win and almost started crying.

I have a feeling the fans will show up even stronger against Nalbandian.

Can anyone please tell me what time is the match between Baghdatis and Nalbandian? I think it's today or tomorrow. I need to know for U.S. Eastern Time.

Dose mas kai ena allo g@memeno na sikosoume! Yia olous tous Ellines, opou kai na menoume, na eimaste enomeni yia panda!

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every where except these forums, tv, radio contra i see PAGDATIS

so i dont beleive his from Baghdad

I am afraid that Bides is right. We were deceived by the Greek media, which are calling him Pagdatis. I had a look at the Australian Open official website and his name is indeed Baghdatis and he hails from Baghdat, Iraq. He is not even Cypriot. (Only joking)
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Open-Baghdatis heroics make tennis a love game in Cyprus

Open-Baghdatis heroics make tennis a love game in Cyprus

By Michele Kambas

NICOSIA, Jan 24 (Reuters) - In Cyprus, the tennis term 'deuce' is usually reserved for leisurely games of backgammon in smoke-filled, dusty coffee shops.

With only a dozen or so tennis clubs and about 6,000 registered tennis players, the sport is largely regarded as the game for the rich few on the eastern Mediterranean island of just under one million people.

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Thanks to the exploits of their compatriot Marcos Baghdatis at the Australian Open, however, tennis terminology is suddenly the talk of the island's bars.

What was a trickle of interest has turned into a wave as Cypriots wake up to the realisation that they have a sporting superstar in their midst.

Victory over former world number one Andy Roddick was followed on Tuesday by a five-set nail biter against seventh seeded Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.

The 20-year-old Baghdatis is now just one victory away from a grand slam final in only his sixth appearance at a major.

A tournament on the other side of the world that usually holds no interest for the vast majority of Cypriots has suddenly got them glued to television sets or nipping out of the office to catch the action.

After his victory over Ljubicic, hundreds of people poured on to the streets of Baghdatis's home town of Limassol.

In scenes more reminiscent of soccer celebrations, joyful Cypriots honked their car horns and jumped into fountains, braving overcast skies and chilly temperatures.

"I wept. This was an amazing feat," said 36-year-old Greek Cypriot Marios Pavlou, whose tennis knowledge is restricted to watching Wimbledon competitions on television.

"Not many people know about tennis. Cypriots are more into group sports, like football. Then they can all gang up on the referee," he added.

A girl dancing in a Limassol fountain waving a blue-and-white Greek flag added: "He was perfect, he is our hero."

Baghdatis, packed off to a French boarding school to hone his tennis skills at 14, displayed signs of his talent when he became the world's number one junior in 2003.

Baghdatis's family watched the game from their Limassol home and later took part in celebrations.

"I didn't think he would lose but it was a bit tense," said Baghdatis's elder brother Petros, wearing a t-shirt with his brother's picture on it.

When his mobile phone rang the cheers subsided. It was Baghdatis calling from Australia. There was a faint "hello" when the phone was put on a loudspeaker and then his words were drowned out by chants from fans.

"Who wouldn't be proud of a boy like that?"

Updated on Tuesday, Jan 24, 2006 2:54 pm EST

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BAGHDATIS WOWS FANS IN MELBOURNE

Tuesday 24th January 2006

Related stories:

Australian Open results - Men

More Tennis stories:

The Australian Open 2006

Belgian ousts brave Davenport

Aus Open order of play

Aus Open draw - Men

Aus Open Draw - Women

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WTA Tour schedule

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Betting

Greek-Cypriot Marchos Baghdatis delighted his many fans in Melbourne with a thrilling five set victory over Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

The 20-year-old opened up a two-set lead before the seventh seed battled back to level the match, but Baghdatis edged the fifth set to win through 6-4 6-2 4-6 3-6 6-3.

The world number 54 now faces David Nalbandian of Argentina in his first Grand Slam semi-final after winning in three hours and 17 minutes.

Baghdatis squandered seven break points in the opening set before he finally broke 26-year-old Ljubicic in the ninth game off a forehand error.

He broke twice more in the second set, the first off a backhand winner and the second off another Ljubicic mistake, before the errors started creeping into his own game.

A double fault set up the break Ljubicic needed to grab the third set then another double fault cost him the fourth set as well before he regained his composure in the decider.

Baghdatis, who caused the shock of the tournament when knocking out Andy Roddick in the last round, saved two break points in the third game of the deciding set before gaining the crucial break in the next.

Ljubicic served out impressively to love at 5-2 but Baghdatis held his nerve to serve out for the match.

"I think it's all going crazy in Cyprus with all the people watching my matches, especially my parents," said Baghdatis, who made just 26 unforced errors.

"In the third set I started thinking a lot, I was putting some doubts in my head and he started playing well and got some confidence, the points were going too fast and I couldn't control the game.

"In the fifth set I just said 'don't miss a ball and play for every point' and that's what I did, I am very happy, I play great tennis again and I went through."

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every where except these forums, tv, radio contra i see PAGDATIS

so i dont beleive his from Baghdad

I am afraid that Bides is right. We were deceived by the Greek media, which are calling him Pagdatis. I had a look at the Australian Open official website and his name is indeed Baghdatis and he hails from Baghdat, Iraq. He is not even Cypriot. (Only joking)
I just puked!!
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Limassol erupts as Baghdatis goes through to semis

By John Leonidou

THEY were scenes resembling the success of Greece in the European Football Championships in 2004. But who would have thought they would have been in honour of Cypriot tennis player Marcos Baghdatis.

The 20-year-old tennis sensation has taken the world by storm after beating seventh-seeded Croatian, Ivan Ljubicic, with a 3-2 set (6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3) victory in the Australian Open quarterfinal yesterday. It is the first time a Cypriot has ever made it so far in the world of tennis.

Cheered by the mass support of Greeks and Cypriots living in Melbourne, Baghdatis, ranked just 54th in the world, has also disposed 17th-seeded Radek Stepanek and second-seeded Andy Roddick in the last two rounds, and is now firmly in the sights of the world’s media.

And the former world junior champion yesterday told Australian and American reporters that he was well aware of the celebrations backs home.

"Everybody is in the streets right now; all my family, parents, just everybody, they're having fun; everybody today stopped working in Cyprus to watch my match." Television cameras turned up at the Baghdatis household just minutes after the game finished. His mother Androula was on the phone with Marcos minutes after his game telling him, “You were wonderful tonight my darling and we all love you so much.”

She then told television reporters, “He sounded very emotional and very tired. I am so happy and proud of him that I cannot find the words to describe how I am feeling right now.”

His little sister Zenia added “you were really great tonight and I love you a lot”

His father Christos continued “I have just one more favour? Could you please go into the following round as well.”

Celebrations were not just limited to the Baghdatis residence. There were plenty of celebrations in his hometown of Limassol and in particular at the Agios Nikolaos roundabout. People danced about cheering and some even jumped into the fountain on the roundabout in celebrating. Meanwhile cars drove by blowing their horns and some people waved pictures of Baghdatis chanting “Ole”.

Also present at the roundabout was Marcos’ brother who told reporters that he never stopped believing that his brother would win the tightly fought game.

“It was certainly more nerve racking than the last game but I never stopped believing in him. He was absolutely magnificent and has made every Cypriot around the world proud, especially me.”

“He is sensational”, cheered one girl. “It is people like Marcos that make us proud to be Cypriot.”

Messages of congratulations were also coming from the very top. Upon his arrival at Larnaca Airport from Moscow, President Tassos Papadopoulos also heaped praised on Baghdatis for his stunning victory.

“Our biggest congratulations have to go out to Marcos Baghdatis for his excellent victory. He is doing our nation proud with his displays and we wish him all the best in his difficult upcoming schedule.”

Praise from abroad is also not been lacking. CNN had stated, “Clearly having fun in his best Grand Slam performance, Baghdatis has become a crowd favorite. Cheered by dozens of chanting Greek supporters, the Cypriot ran his list of seeded victims to three by beating Ljubicic.”

The BBC were a little more subdued in their reference to the Cypriot youngster saying, “Unseeded Marcos Baghdatis survived a fightback from seventh seed Ivan Ljubicic to reach the last four at the Australian Open in Melbourne.”

Going under the title ‘Cypriot giant-killer fells No.7 seed’, one of Australia’s biggest media publication’s The Age said, “The great adventure goes on at the Australian Open for Marcos Baghdatis and his band of brotherly Greek fans, stirring recollections of Euro 2004, in which Greece began as rank outsider and won the tournament.”

Baghdatis will now face fourth-seeded Argentine

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