Unseeded Baghdatis Beats Gasquet for ATP Sydney Title
Posted on January 16, 2010Not much was expected of Marcos Baghdatis this week after the Cypriot was dismissed 6-0, 6-1 last week by Tomas Berdych, but the unseeded Bagdatis wrapped up his fourth career title on Saturday in Sydney with a 6-4, 7-6(2) win over Richard Gasquet in the final.
The 24-year-old Baghdatis last won a title at Stockholm last year.
Gasquet served for the second set at 5-3 but failed to close it out.
"I served a bad game, and I was in big trouble in the tiebreak," Gasquet said.
Trailing 0-2, Baghdatis won seven points in a row in the tiebreak to close out the match and gain some much-needed confidence in Melbourne.
"It's confidence building," said the 2006 Australian Open finalist. "I felt pretty good on court. I have some things to work on still. I have tomorrow and Monday to work on my serve, [my] first serve percentage. [That's] the only thing that worries me a bit...It's my brother's birthday, and I wanted to win for him also. It's been two years tough for him. So I'm very happy that I won today and can dedicate this win to him."
Gasquet was left still looking for his first title since Mumbai in 2007.
"I feel confident for Australian Open, even if I have tough draw," Gasquet says. "I'm disappointed, because it's always difficult to lose a final. He just played better than me. Even if I was really close in the second, I couldn't win it. I don't know what happened [in the tiebreak]."
The 24-year-old Baghdatis last won a title at Stockholm last year.
Gasquet served for the second set at 5-3 but failed to close it out.
"I served a bad game, and I was in big trouble in the tiebreak," Gasquet said.
Trailing 0-2, Baghdatis won seven points in a row in the tiebreak to close out the match and gain some much-needed confidence in Melbourne.
"It's confidence building," said the 2006 Australian Open finalist. "I felt pretty good on court. I have some things to work on still. I have tomorrow and Monday to work on my serve, [my] first serve percentage. [That's] the only thing that worries me a bit...It's my brother's birthday, and I wanted to win for him also. It's been two years tough for him. So I'm very happy that I won today and can dedicate this win to him."
Gasquet was left still looking for his first title since Mumbai in 2007.
"I feel confident for Australian Open, even if I have tough draw," Gasquet says. "I'm disappointed, because it's always difficult to lose a final. He just played better than me. Even if I was really close in the second, I couldn't win it. I don't know what happened [in the tiebreak]."