Marcos Baghdatis Interview - Kooyong, Jan 15

Marcos Baghdatis Interview
AAMI CLASSIC Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club
Thursday, 15 January 2009

Q. Marcos, congratulations. You just looked a lot more confident out there today compared to yesterday?

A. Yeah, much more confident, I can say, and - well, yesterday after the match I went back to Melbourne Park, had a hit for an hour and a half, hour and forty minutes, so that felt good and, I mean, now I'm in the minute now. Now I play two matches here, one in Brisbane, I'm starting to feel good on court so starting to, you know, to feel good.

Q. What aspects of your game in particular, today, did you feel were stronger than yesterday?
A. Moving, moving. Just make my game, not thinking, just being myself on court, and I think that's the most important thing, and that's all. After the serve I need to work on, then I have four days left to work on the serve, so we will see how it goes these four days.

Q. How important do you find an event such as this leading into the first Grand Slam of the year to perform well, to give you the confidence going into the Australian Open?
A. It's very important to have some matches on your feet and basically the Classic, AAMI Classic, is good, good preparation, because even if you lose you have had two matches in your feet, so I think that's a perfect preparation for the Aussie Open, and that's why I'm here.

Q. And apart from your form, Marcos, how nice is it actually to have a win under your belt?
A. Very nice, to tell the truth, very nice. It feels great.
AAMI CLASSIC 15/1/2009 1 BAGHDATIS
Smile is back so, you know, it's a relief going into the Aussie Open, so that's the most important thing.

Q. Given it has been a while, how were you feeling on those match points today?
A. Not so good. I was stuck in the head a bit. I made unforced errors there, but the most important thing is I won, and it's better that it happened today than in the Australian Open, so it's good.

Q. Marcos, do you have a message for your Melbourne fans and the Cypriot community here in Melbourne to get along to the Australian Open, because if we go back a couple of years you revved up the crowd and that smile that you brought to all the fans at Melbourne Park?
A. I know they are watching me on the tellies, I know they are watching my results, so I want to thank them a lot for all they have given me in the past, and I hope to see them next week.

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