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Post by christos on Feb 4, 2007 10:46:47 GMT -5
Marcos won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 7-6 4-6 6-4!!!!!
Second tournament after Beijing! Congratulations!!!!!
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Post by choupi on Feb 4, 2007 10:50:54 GMT -5
This is for you Marcos!! A wave all for you and your 2nd ATP title. Definitely not bad for a tournament he wasn't planning to play!! ;D
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Post by choupi on Feb 4, 2007 12:09:35 GMT -5
Marcos Baghdatis waited till match point to claim his only break of serve against defending champion Ivan Ljubicic to win the PBZ Zagreb Indoors final with a 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4 victory in 2 hrs., 30 mins.
Baghdatis had failed to convert five earlier break point opportunities against the Croatian, who fired 11 aces and won 80 per cent of points on his first serve.
Baghdatis improved to 3-0 lifetime against Ljubicic, whom he defeated on hard court at the Australian Open in 2005 and 2006.
Baghdatis was broken just once himself in the final and once in the semifinals during his 6-4, 6-3 win over Austrian Alexander Peya.
The Cypriot, who out-aced Ljubicic with 16, secured his second career ATP title, following his victory on hard court in Beijing last year.
Baghdatis dropped outside the Top 20 in the ATP Rankings last Monday for the first time since reaching the Australian Open final in 2006. His Zagreb victory will likely see him return to the Top 20 on Monday.
He is now 10-3 on the season, including quarterfinal runs in Doha and Sydney.Baghdatis: "It was great to come back after the disappointment of Australia and win a tournament. I am very, very happy.
"I won the crucial points. I played a great tie-break and a great game at 5-4 in the third. Ivan was a bit tight and didn't serve so good in that game.
"I'll just try to keep the same mentality. Stay happy and keep working hard and everything should go well. I just have to play my game and enjoy it."
Ljubicic: "It was my fourth long match in a row and I was a little tired in the end. I had my chances in the fourth set and it's always difficult to come from a set down against such a player.
"I am satisfied. I struggled all week long, so to reach the final without playing great tennis is nice. I had a lot of pressure on my shoulders. But I am a little sad because I think I had chances today.
"He kept the pressure on my serve. In the last game he was too good. One fantastic drop shot, then the lob to go match point, then a fantastic passing shot to finish the match. I didn't think I did anything wrong.
About his Davis Cup preparation: "I have 11 hours of tennis so I am pretty satisfied physically with how I feel. Now I just need to rest and try to recover and get ready for the tie."www.atptennis.com/1/en/news/news4.asp
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Post by choupi on Feb 4, 2007 13:29:32 GMT -5
From the site of the tournament:
BAGHDATIS WINS PBZ ZAGREB INDOORS 4.2.2007
ZAGREB - Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis won his second career ATP title after defeating Croat Ivan Ljubicic in the final od PBZ Zagreb Indoors by 7:6 (4), 4:6, 6:4. It was the third meeting between them and third win for Baghdatis, who managed to keep perfect record against Ljubicic. But another tradition was broken on Sunday: it was for the first time that Croatian player did not raise the trophy for indoor ATP event at home. Before Ivan Ljubicic won inaugural PBZ Zagreb Indoors in 2006, Goran Ivanisevic won three Croatian Indoors, twice held in Zagreb and once in Split. "This is a very big victory for me. It was a great final against Ivan, in Croatia. It is not an easy task. And the toughest point was to break him", Baghdatis said after 2 hours, 30 minutes battle. Ljubicic, defending champion, had three set points in the first set at 5:4, then lost the set in the tie-breaker, but levelled at 1-1 after winning the second set, making the crucial break at 3:2. Third set started promising for Croatian player as well, but he was not able to convert break point in the opening game. The key point came in the 10th game, when Baghdatis broke Ljubicic for the first time. "I was not fresh enough and he played high quality tennis. I should have won the first set, not only because of three set points I had, but because I had chances to punish his defensive tactics as well. I have to be satisfied with the week after all - I have played another final, even though I was not on the top of my game", Ljubicic said after the final.
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