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Post by choupi on Dec 30, 2008 3:56:22 GMT -5
2009 will soon be here and the tour will be on again. Marcos's 1st tournament of the year is in Brisbane, and he feels fit for it. For more information, you can read the article posted by Getta in the News section. Entry list: 1 Djokovic, Novak SRB 3 2 Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried FRA 6 3 Verdasco, Fernando ESP 16 4 Soderling, Robin SWE 17 5 Berdych, Tomas CZE 20 6 Fish, Mardy USA 24 7 Gasquet, Richard FRA 25 8 Stepanek, Radek CZE 27 9 Mathieu, Paul-Henri FRA 31 10 Melzer, Jurgen AUT 34 11 Ancic, Mario CRO 36 12 Nieminen, Jarkko FIN 37 13 Querrey, Sam USA 39 14 Llodra, Michael FRA 40 15 Benneteau, Julien FRA 43 16 Kunitsyn, Igor RUS 47 17 Ginepri, Robby USA 51 18 Gulbis, Ernests LAT 53 19 Gicquel, Marc FRA 54 20 Ferrero, Juan Carlos ESP 55 21 Dent, Taylor USA @56 22 Serra, Florent FRA 59 23 Calleri, Agustin ARG 60 24 Darcis, Steve BEL 61 25 Nishikori, Kei JPN 63 26 (Q) 27 (Q) 28 (Q) 29 (Q) 30 (WC) Baghdatis, Marcos CYP31 (WC) Tomic, Bernard AUS 32 (WC) TBA (wild card play-off champion) Official site of the tournament: www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/Allez Marcos, make some damage down there!!  |
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Post by Getta on Dec 31, 2008 20:04:06 GMT -5
www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2008/12/30/1230399199651.html?feed=fairfaxdigitalxml Marcos Baghdatis addresses the media after a training session on the all-new Rafter Arena centre court in Brisbane.
Photo: Scott CaseyBaghdatis banks on Brisbane for comebackScott Casey | December 30, 2008 - 3:49PMThe 2006 Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis has shaken off a back injury to resume his career at the inaugural Brisbane International starting Sunday. The "Smiling Cypriot" has won a wildcard entry for the tournament, the first event to be staged at the new 5000-seat Rafter Arena. Baghdatis, who arrived earlier this week from Paris, is acclimatising to the sweltering conditions far from his training ground of wintertime France. "It's a bit warmer ... 30 degrees warmer," he said. "But that's why I came early, to give myself one week in front of me to prepare. It's my second day here and I feel better than yesterday so we will see how it goes. "I feel really happy being on the court again. I didn't spend much time on court last year so it's a pleasure coming back and feeling physically fit. The 23-year-old has just finished six weeks of training to overcome the back injury which has cut his blossoming career short. "I have no more pain - everything is perfect," he said. "I worked on it a lot in the off season and last year when I had a lot of time off. I mainly worked on my back and I'm feeling much better." The Pat Rafter Arena will be christened with the tournament and Baghdatis says the facilities are the equal of the courts in Melbourne where he will compete in the Australian Open in mid-January. "I love playing here. The people are friendly they are not stressful and that's the pleasure of being here," he said. Tournament director Steve Ayles said the venue was ready for the tournament, despite missing the usual large video screens above the court and the high tech line-calling "Hawk-Eye". "We've got a brand new venue, a first class facility and Hawke-Eye is something we will look at in the future," he said. Only one provider operates the Hawk-Eye system in Australia and it is currently working on Sydney's set up for the Medibank International tournament, starting January 9. Mr Ayles said players at the Brisbane International would be well prepared for the Australian Open by the $80 million Brisbane stadium. "The most important part is providing the same ball bounce, the same surface, the same environment climate - everything is the same for the players and we have provided that here." he said. Baghdatis says that he will forego any New Year's Eve partying for a quiet night with his dad. "Last night I went to sleep at 8.30 so no partying. Maybe my father will come over," he said.
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Post by Getta on Dec 31, 2008 20:50:29 GMT -5
news.smh.com.au/sport/baghdatis-eyeing-top-honours-in-brisbane-20081230-77ap.htmlBaghdatis eyeing top honours in BrisbaneDecember 30, 2008 - 5:17PMPopular Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis is back from injury and is eyeing off top honours at the inaugural Brisbane International tennis tournament. The world No.98, who was once ranked No.8, is not just determined to claw his way back to a top 20 spot after an injury-plagued year - his ultimate goal is to secure a top-five ranking. "I feel happy being on court again ... I feel fitter than ever," Baghdatis told reporters on Tuesday. "It was a bad year, and I want to forget about it and just try to come back and get to the top 20. "My objective is to get to the top five once in my lifetime - so that's what I'll try to do." The 23-year-old won the hearts of Australians after making it to the final of the 2006 Australian Open, before losing to champion Roger Federer in four sets. He acknowledges the crowd support, which he credits to Greek and Cypriot patriotism and the Australian laid-back approach to life. "All Australians are pretty cool, pretty nice, I love coming back every year," he said. At 182cm and weighing 82kg, the right-hander is looking fit and healthy, but aside from the other players, the hot Australian summer could prove to be stiff competition. The Cypriot had to stop and rest a few times during his warm up inside Rafter Arena at the new Queensland Tennis centre. "It's a bit more warmer (than home) ... that's why I came early to have one week in front of me to prepare," he said. "It's my second day here, so I feel a bit better than yesterday, so I'll see how it goes. "I'm pretty happy I'm here, so I'll try to win some matches, and why not to win the tournament, that's my goal." Although he's in Australia for the festive season, Baghdatis' determination to win and regain his place at the top of the rankings, means he won't be partying this New Year's Eve. Instead opting to visit his dad and grandmother in Sydney. After the Brisbane International, which starts on January 4, Baghdatis will play at Kooyong before the Australian Open. The men's draw boasts Novak Djokovic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Marcos Baghdatis, Gael Monfils, Richard Gasquet and Mardy Fish while the women's draw features Ana Ivanovic, Daniela Hantuchova and Australia's own Sam Stosur and Jarmila Gajdosova.
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Post by choupi on Jan 3, 2009 4:04:13 GMT -5
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Post by Getta on Jan 3, 2009 5:42:43 GMT -5
He handed tough draw. Good luck, Marcos.  |
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Post by Getta on Jan 3, 2009 9:03:47 GMT -5
Marcos' match is scheduled to take place on Monday. www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/2009/01/magic-monday-line-up#more-1039Magic Monday line-upTennis Australia Saturday 3 January 2009 Brisbane International organisers are confident they have assembled one of the best scheduled days of tennis in Queensland in decades. “Both Monday’s day and night sessions have been stacked with a tantalising blend of emerging local talent, athletes on the comeback, crowd favorites, a Davis Cup hero as well as some Grand Slam winners and finalists, including two former world No.1 players,” a delighted Brisbane International tournament director Steve Ayles explained today. “Just look at the great array of names … Baghdatis, Ivanovic, Mauresmo, Verdasco, Dokic, Safarova and a couple of local kids in Holland and Tomic .” “Magic Monday” starts with Brisbane teenager Isabella Holland making her Sony Ericsson WTA Tour debut on Pat Rafter Arena against 65th-ranked Czech Lucie Safarova. The much-loved 2006 Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis makes his eagerly awaited return to the tour next with a difficult task against super consistent Fin Jarkko Nieminen, who finished the year ranked 38 – the sixth time in the past seven years he has finished in the top 50. |
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Post by Getta on Jan 3, 2009 14:40:32 GMT -5
Monday OoP
Pat Rafter Arena
Day session (starts 10:30 am)
Isabella Holland v Lucie Safarova
Marcos Baghdatis v Jarkko Nieminen
Jelena Dokic v Amelie Mauresmo
Night session (starts 7:00pm)
Ana Ivanovic v Petra Kvitova
Fernando Verdasco v Bernard Tomic
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Post by choupi on Jan 6, 2009 2:22:55 GMT -5
Marcos lost to Nieminen after playing 3 sets 5-7 6-1 6-4. From the site of the event: Baghdatis bounced out of Brisbane
Brisbane International Monday 5 January 2009
Crowd favourite Marcos Baghdatis has been ousted from the Brisbane International in three sets by Jarkko Nieminen.
In a match lasting just over two hours, the smiling Cypriot toiled hard but ultimately came up short.
Baghdatis took the lead in a tight first set, which he claimed 7-5 but that was where the good news for Baggy ended.
Nieminen struck back ruthlessly in the second sweeping the Cypriot 6-1.
The final set was closer, but the result the same – Nieminen claiming it 6-4 and the match.
Nieminen will next play the winner out of No.2 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Argentinian Agustin Calleri. |
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Post by choupi on Jan 6, 2009 2:27:59 GMT -5
There's an audio interview on the site of the event, among other interviews, in which Marcos says that he wasn't "match-fit", he needs matches but he is physically fit. He called for the trainer but that was just out of tiredness for a small contracture. He's gonna work on that in the next 15 days to be ready for the AO. All interviews available here: www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/audio-video |
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