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Post by choupi on Aug 6, 2014 2:02:02 GMT -5
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Post by choupi on Aug 8, 2014 2:12:19 GMT -5
Marcos defeated A. COLLARINI 6-1 6-1 and will play R. BEMELMANS next. The match is scheduled today on Center Court, not before 17.45PM (local time)
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Post by choupi on Aug 9, 2014 2:05:52 GMT -5
Marcos reaches the semifinal as he defeated R. BEMELMANS 6-3 6-4. He'll play G. SOEDA for a place in the final.
The match is scheduled 3rd today (match start at 11AM local time)
Come on Marcos!!
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Post by choupi on Aug 10, 2014 11:24:34 GMT -5
And it's another final for the 2nd consecutive week for Marcos, as he defeated G. SOEDA 6-4 6-2. He'll play n°1 seeded M. KUKUSHKIN for a 2nd title in a row  Come on Marcos!! |
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Post by choupi on Aug 11, 2014 2:07:34 GMT -5
Woohoo!! It's another title for Marcos. He defeated K. KUKUSHKIN 7-6 6-4 Another great week and great performance for Marcos. Congratulations! |
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Post by choupi on Aug 11, 2014 2:10:58 GMT -5
From the ATP site: Comerica Bank Challenger (Aptos, California, U.S.A.): Second-seed Marcos Baghdatis continued his hot streak on the ATP Challenger Tour, winning a second straight title and the ninth of his career. The Cypriot defeated top seed Mikhail Kukushkin 7-6(7), 6-4 on Sunday, converting on his fourth match point. Baghdatis holds an impressive 77-25 record on the circuit and is 15-0 in 2014, including title runs on the grass of Nottingham and hard courts of Vancouver a week ago. The former World No. 8 will return to the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time in eight months.www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2014/08/33/Challenger-Weekly-Spotlight-11-August-2014.aspx |
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Post by choupi on Aug 11, 2014 2:16:23 GMT -5
Also about this great victory, with some quotes from Marcos: Marcos Baghdatis tops Mikhail Kukushkin for Comerica Bank Challenger title
Cypriot claims Aptos challenger title, one week after winning in Vancouver
By Ryan Silapan
APTOS >> History was made at the 27th annual Comerica Bank Challenger on Sunday afternoon. For the first time, the tournament's No. 1- and No. 2-seeded players squared off in the singles final.
And Marcos Baghdatis and top-seeded Mikhail Kukushkin lived up to their billing in front of a packed crowd at the Seascape Sports Club.
But just like he did the week prior at the Odlum Brown VanOpen in Vancouver, the No. 2 Baghdatis — who was once ranked as high as No. 8 in the world — won a tough first-set tiebreak en route to capturing his second challenger title in as many weeks by defeating Kukushkin in straight sets, 7-6 (7), 6-4.
"I stayed very strong mentally and pushed my limit and found a way to win," said Baghdatis, who is ranked No. 106 on the ATP World Tour.
Baghdatis — who collected a paycheck of $14,400 — got a bit emotional following the customary handshakes with Kukushkin and the chair umpire. After waving thank you to the packed crowd at Seascape, the 29-year-old Cypriot got on his knees and kissed the hard court soon after.
"It's been a long, long run the last two or three years," said Baghdatis, who suffered a right shoulder injury last season and retired from a match in June due to shoulder problems.
"I've had some injuries and haven't been really consistent," he added. "Winning last week and this week — winning 10 matches in a row — is a good sign. I'm really happy and relieved."
It is the first time the tournament's No. 2-seeded player has gone on to win the Comerica Bank Challenger. The No. 1 seed, meanwhile, has yet to hoist the trophy.
Still, Kukushkin — who came into the tournament as the highest ranked player at No. 55 on the ATP World Tour — gave Baghdatis everything he could handle in the first set.
"I knew it was going to be a tough match," said the native of Kazakhstan, who collected a second-place paycheck of $8,480. "He is a great player and it's nice to see him getting back to form."
Neither player was able to break their opponent's serve in the first set, forcing a tiebreak that was equally give-and-take as neither player was able to earn a two-point advantage.
"I think you need a little bit of luck. It was anybody's set, I think," said Baghdatis, who ultimately rattled off the final two points. "I had that luck. I was a little more solid in the tiebreak. He made some unforced errors. I'm happy I went through and won the set.
"It was the key to the match."
Kukushkin and Baghdatis each won their service games to start the second. But Baghdatis was the beneficiary of a Kukushkin double-fault — his only one of the match — on a break point that gave the Cypriot a 2-1 lead.
From there, it was all Baghdatis, who fought off two break points late in the second set and compiled eight aces in the match.
And, like he had done all tournament, he never relinquished a single set to his opponent.
"Today was a tough match. (Kukushkin) was a tricky player and had a good week also," said Antonio van Grichen, Baghdatis' coach of three weeks. Van Grichen felt Baghdatis' victory spoke to his mental preparedness.
"It's been a long two weeks, so it was mainly the mental part where he needed to stay strong," van Grichen said, "and he did that well and we got the win."
Baghdatis will now shift his attention to the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 25 in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. While he's happy to have won back-to-back challenger events in consecutive weeks, Baghdatis knows he has a lot of work to do before competing against the best players in the world in New York.
Baghdatis will fly back to Florida for the next 10 days to rest, train and get mentally prepared for the grind of the Open.
"When I win the U.S. Open, I'll tell you I'm 100 percent and (that) I played 100 percent my best tennis," he said.www.santacruzsentinel.com/localsports/ci_26314012/marcos-baghdatis-tops-mikhail-kukushkin-comerica-bank-challenger |
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