Baghdatis Wins Opening Round in Metz

Written by: Global Chick on 20th September 2011

Baghdatis Wins Opening Round in Metz

Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus hits a return to John Isner during their second round match on the third day of the 2011 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA 31 August 2011. The US Open runs through 11 September 2011. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis has advanced into the second round at the Moselle Open in Metz, France after a win against Germany’s Matthias Bachinger 7-5 6-2.

Baghdatis is currently No. 60 on the ATP Tour singles ranking but his career highest was No. 8. The 26-year-old is looking to win his first tournament this year. The last title win for the Cypriot was in Sydney in 2010. The lead up to the US Open resulted in two quarterfinals in Washington (l. Donald Young) and Winston-Salem (l. John Isner).

In yesterday’s match against Matthias Bachinger Marcos only lost four points on his first serve. “It was a very tight first set that could have gone both ways, not because I was playing bad but because he was playing good and serving extremely well. I stayed positive and was able to manage the situation well today and I am very happy about that,” Baghdatis said.

The number three seed Alexandr Dolgopolov of the Ukraine will be up next for Baghdatis. Marcos said of his next round opponent, “He’s a great player, we know we need to be ready to play big matches at the early stages of tournaments. I will prepare this match with my coach and hopefully it will go well for me.”

The only other singles match to be completed yesterday in Metz was the number eight seed Gilles Muller of Luxembourg who overcame German Philipp Petzschner 7-6 (2) 7-6 (5). The German held five break points but couldn’t convert any of them.

Two doubles matches were played yesterday. French wildcards Kenny De Schepper and Arnaud Clement beat British duo Jamie Delgado and Jonathan Murray 6-3 4-6 10-7.

The German team of Michael Kohlmann and Alexander Waske moved into the second round after a win over James Cerretain of the United States and Philipp Marx of Germany 6-3 7-5.

Tomorrow 10sballs.com’s favourite player Xavier Malisse will take on Michael Berrer of Germany in the first round of the singles.

SCHEDULE – TUESDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER, 2011

CENTRE COURT start 12:00 noon

[WC] B Paire (FRA) vs A Golubev (KAZ)

[Q] I Sijsling (NED) vs G Dimitrov (BUL)

Not Before 4:00 PM

O Rochus (BEL) vs S Robert (FRA)

Not Before 6:00 PM

N Mahut (FRA) vs D Junqueira (ARG)

M Berrer (GER) vs [6] X Malisse (BEL)

[3] P Hanley (AUS) / D Norman (BEL) vs [WC] P Herbert (FRA) / N Renavand (FRA)

COURT 1 start 2:00 pm