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2/16/08 9:49 AM | Ricky Dimon
Marcos Baghdatis takes out Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets to set up a semifinal clash with huge-serving Mario Ancic.
Sixth-seeded Marcos Baghdatis put on an impressive display of tennis on Friday night in the quarterfinals of the Open 13 to defeat third-seeded Mikhail Youzhny 7-6(2), 6-3.
Baghdatis also sent the Russian packing at the very same stage of the tournament last year. That match went to 7-5 in the third and lasted two hours and 30 minutes, but it was not nearly as tough this time around. The first set, however, was neck-and-neck. Both players dominated on serve, as Baghdatis did not face a single break point in the first frame of play and Youzhny saved the one break opportunity he faced. Inevitably progressing to a tiebreaker, the opening set was ultimately decided by a 7-2 margin in favor of Baghdatis.
Having dropped the first set, Youzhny began to break down in the second frame. His baseline game deteriorated, but it was the serve that especially failed him. The eighth-ranked player in the world saw his serve decline in terms of both percentage and effectiveness, as Baghdatis won 36 percent of Youzhny’s first-serve points in the second set after winning just two total points against Youzhny’s first offering in the opening set. Always one of the best returners in tennis, Baghdatis also won an impressive 56 percent of points in the match on Youzhny’s second serve.
Youzhny made too many errors from the baseline as well, although even better play would probably not have been enough to stop Baghdatis on this day. The 2007 Open 13 runner-up was feeling it off both sides with his groundstrokes in addition to controlling play with his unbreakable serve.
Baghdatis, who was runner-up in Marseille last year (lost to Gilles Simon in the final), is back in the semifinals, where he will take on unseeded Mario Ancic. The Cypriot is just 1-3 in four career head-to-head meetings with the 6’5’’ Croat.
Baghdatis returns and the way he plays from the back court
In the second set the serve of Youzhny was not good enough
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Did you know that... Thomas Johansson did not have to face any of the top-10 players when he won the Australian Open in 2002.
Administrator, Oct 10, 2008 7:55 PM
cherylmurray, Oct 10, 2008 3:12 PM
cherylmurray, Oct 10, 2008 2:51 PM
RickyDimon, Oct 9, 2008 3:48 PM
milivice, Oct 8, 2008 9:20 PM
mLina, Oct 10, 2008 6:17 PM
Francoise, Oct 10, 2008 11:48 AM
ivanovic33, Oct 10, 2008 11:45 AM
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Marcos Baghdatis 
Mikhail Youzhny 
Open 13