Σπιτάκι

Πώπωπωπωπω! Τι παιχνίδι ήταν αυτό;
Τα είχε όλα! Τρέξιμο, αγωνία, πολλούς πόντους, και βροχή στην χειρότερη στιγμή!

Ευτυχώς όλα πήγαν καλά! Περιμένουμε για την Κυριακή τώρα! Go Μάρκο! :)

Ελπίζω με όλα αυτά να προωθήσουν το Τένις στην Ελλάδα και στην Κύπρο!

Brilliant Baghdatis Books Date With Destiny
by Jason Phelan
Thursday, 26 January, 2006

Cypriot sensation Marcos Baghdatis has stormed into the men’s final of Australian Open 2006 with an epic, come-from-behind semi-final win over highly-ranked Argentine David Nalbandian in the Twilight Session on Day 11 at Melbourne Park.

Urged on by his highly-vocal cheer squad, the world No.54’s meteoric climb through the tournament appeared certain to come to an end at two sets down, but Baghdatis was able to summon a Herculean effort to come back and take the match 3-6 5-7 6-3 6-4 6-4.

After winning the Australian Open junior boy’s crown in 2003, this will be the 20-year-old’s first Grand-Slam final appearance with his previous best result a fourth-round berth at last year’s Centenary Open.

It was a night of high drama until the very end, with play suspended by a torrential downpour with the score at 5-4 and 15-15 as Baghdatis attempted to serve out the match.

Having fought so hard for the opportunity, you could only sympathise with Baghdatis as he raised his arms to the heavens in disbelief as he trudged off Centre Court to await the closing of the Rod Laver Arena roof.

With the court dry and the roof closed, play resumed after a 30-minute pause and the Cypriot held his nerve - serving an ace for the win on his second match point.

“It’s like a dream, I have to wake up I think because it’s unbelievable - I don’t know what to say - it’s just amazing,” Baghdatis said after the gallant victory.

“It’s a dream (of mine) to play here and win this tournament - I believe it, my coach believes it, the guys I work with believe it, my parents believe it - I work for that and I believe in it.

“I’m very proud of myself and very proud of what we’ve been working on through the years. It’s been an amazing career for me, it’s like a story and I’m just very proud.”

He was at a loss to explain his Houdini-like escape from the jaws of defeat.

“To tell you the truth I don’t really know,” Baghdatis said with a laugh.

“I’m playing amazing tennis, I just stopped thinking and just played my tennis, tried to be very aggressive and everything was going in. I’m just in my own world right now I think.”

No.4 seed Nalbandian joins fellow seeds Andy Roddick (2) and Ivan Ljubicic (7) as one of the highly-ranked casualties of Baghdatis’ stirring run to the final, with the success story of the tournament set to meet either world No.1 Roger Federer or Nicolas Kiefer in the final.

The classy Argentine had all the answers in the first set-and-a-half, while Baghdatis seemed to have finally run out of ideas after thrilling the crowd with his inventive play throughout his Open run.

The tension of the occasion was evident early in the match with both players losing their serves soon after the start, but that was to be Baghdatis’ only break opportunity for the set, while Nalbandian had nine and converted two of them to take the set comfortably.

The Cypriot was quickly down two service breaks in the second set, but managed to break Nalbandian as he served for the set at 5-2 and held his own serve in the next game with relative ease.

The comeback was in top gear when he broke the Argentine again to be back on serve at 5-5 with the pumped-up Baghdatis raising his fist to the ecstatic crowd, but their elation didn’t last long as he lost his serve in the very next game.

Like many before him, Baghdatis appeared spooked by the onset of the traditional fireworks display let off in a nearby park to commemorate Australia Day, losing his serve and the set after Nalbandian held.

The third set proceeded on serve until Baghdatis broke the pattern, pulling out some stunning forehand winners to go up a break at 4-2. He held his nerve and his serve this time and went on to serve out the set with an ace two games later.

The Cypriot’s serve was his Achilles heel in the first two sets, but it became his most formidable weapon in the third and fourth with his winning percentage on first serve a stunning 93 per cent in the third and 88 per cent in the fourth.

Baghdatis sent the match into five sets by converting his only break point opportunity in the fourth set and successfully holding off a determined challenge from Nalbandian.

The differing body language of the players was notable as they came on court for the decisive set with Baghdatis skipping to his end, while Nalbandian trudged wearily to his, wiping sweat off his face with a towel as he went.

It made little difference early, however, as the Argentine struck first, breaking to go ahead 2-0 before, once again, being broken right back. The two broke each other once again as the set progressed, but Baghdatis made his move in the ninth game, breaking the No.4 seed to love, before going on to eventually serve out the match.