Tennis: Rising star sinks teeth into top seeds

Marcos Baghdatis

The Cypriot from fairytale is writing his own in Melbourne.

Almost overnight, Marcos Baghdatis has become the most famous sportsman to call Cyprus home after reaching the final of the Australian Open and a likely meeting tomorrow with world No 1 Roger Federer.

Soccer is king on the eastern Mediterranean island, while tennis is associated with the well-heeled. But Baghdatis comes from a working class background.

His mother, Androulla, and father, Christos, run a clothing import business from their one-storey home in Paramytha, a small village in a wine-producing region south of the port town of Limassol.

Paramytha means fairytale in Greek.

Visitors to the family home say it is a modest dwelling adorned with Greek Orthodox Christian icons. Baghdatis frequently kisses the gold crucifix hanging round his neck and crosses himself.

Baghdatis has a younger sister, Zena, who is in primary school, and two older brothers who also played Davis Cup tennis for their country.

He first picked up a tennis racket when he was 5 and, aged 14, he was sent to a French boarding school under an Olympic Solidarity scholarship to make the most of his talent.

The time away from his family appeared well-spent when Baghdatis became the world No 1 junior in 2003. Ranked 52 in the world, he is the first Cypriot to feature in the top 100.

But Baghdatis' family say they are heavily in debt from the money spent on his tennis education.

"I am not complaining about it loudly because I want what is best for my boy," said Christos Baghdatis, who migrated to Cyprus from neighbouring Lebanon 35 years ago.

The family could not afford tickets to travel to Australia. The Cypriot Government has offered to pay for them to fly to Melbourne to watch tomorrow's final.

Money worries could become a thing of the past. Baghdatis has made US$392,001 ($578,197) in prize money so far during his career, and he has almost trebled that by reaching the final in Melbourne. Cyprus has taken Baghdatis to its heart, and people poured on to the streets after the 20-year-old beat fourth seed David Nalbandian in Thursday's semifinal.

On breaks from the tennis circuit and his base in France, Baghdatis is a frequent visitor to Tsirion Stadium in Limassol, cheering on his soccer team, first division Apollon Limassol FC. He wears their blue and white T-shirt, emblazoned with the number 1.

Throughout the two-week tournament in Australia, Baghdatis has been adopted by Melbourne's large Greek community, who have offered noisy support at all his matches.

There is only one cloud on his horizon: the threat of military service. It is compulsory in Cyprus and nearly impossible to dodge with all males aged over 18 having to spend 26 months in the armed services.

Despite pleas from his family, and numerous postponements already, the most famous Cypriot in the world may not be able to avoid doing his time. 
 

Marcos Baghdatis

* Born: June 17, 1985, Limassol, Cyprus
* 2003: World junior No 1 (nine titles, including Australian Open and runner-up at US Open)
* 2003: Turned pro
* World ranking: 52
* Career earnings: US$392,001
* Game: Prefers hard courts and considers himself a baseliner, with his serve and forehand his biggest weapons.
* Coach: Guillaume Payre since 2005.
* In 2004 he qualified for his first Grand Slam at the US Open and reached the second round, losing to eventual winner Roger Federer in four sets. He was one of only two players, the other being Andre Agassi, to take at least one set off Federer at the open.
* Played in the Heineken Open in Auckland earlier this month, where he was beaten in the first round by eventual winner Jarkko Niemenen of Finland, 6-2, 6-2 in 51 minutes.

- REUTERS