Match report

Thomas Johansson © Tennistalk.com
Australian Open
1st round
1/15/08 1 2 3 4 Tot
se  Thomas Johansson 6 2 6 3 1
cy  Marcos Baghdatis 7 7 6 3 6 3
Marcos Baghdatis © Tennistalk.com

  • Marcos Baghdatis holds off Thomas Johansson in a fantastic first round match

    1/15/08 4:27 PM | Cheryl Murray
    Cypriot Baghdatis through to the second round after a crowd-pleasing match against Sweden's Johansson.

    It sounded like a football match with the raucous chanting between points and Greek and Cypriot flags waving madly; instead it was Cypriot native Marcos Baghdatis exciting his Greek-Australian fans with a tough win over Sweden's Thomas Johansson in the first round of the Australian Open 7-6 (0), 6-2, 3-6, 6-3

    Both men came out playing well, each with numerous break opportunities (8 for Johansson, 9 for Baghdatis), and each succeeding just one time. Baghdatis served the better of the two men, cranking 6 aces in the first set. However, it was the Cypriot's commanding play in the tie-break which clinched the set for him.

    The momentum of taking the first set at love in the tiebreak propelled Baghdatis in the second set. He came out on fire, smothering the Swede with heavy ground strokes and pinpoint accuracy. He struck only 2 unforced errors in the entire set and hit 10 winners.

    The third set, however, featured a complete reversal of roles. Suddenly, it was Johansson who was dictating play, making fewer errors and hitting ground strokes so clean, he would have made Andre Agassi proud. Baghdatis began to fight cramping in his thigh (a problem that besets the Cypriot too often) and eventually called for a trainer. The treatment must have been effective, because the fourth set saw momentum shift again. Although still stretching his hamstring between points, Baghdatis broke early in the fourth and never gave up the lead. Baghdatis will meet Russia's Marat Safin in the second round.

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