CYPRUS: TENNIS - The family of new tennis star Marcos Baghdatis talk about his forthcoming Australian Open final match against Federer.

Record ID: 692895

  • Title: CYPRUS: TENNIS - The family of new tennis star Marcos Baghdatis talk about his forthcoming Australian Open final match against Federer.
  • Date: 29th January 2006
  • Summary: VVARIOUS: MARCOS MOTHER ANDROULA BAGHDATIS POURING COFFEE
  • Embargoed: 13th February 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cyprus
  • Country: Cyprus
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVADOQR8QA4ZOWUMX0AINGHLTBKR
  • Story Text: Ever since Cypriot tennis player Marcos Baghdatis reached the final of the Australian Open, his parents have not slept a wink.
    The previously little known athlete faces world number one Roger Federer of Switzerland in the grand slam final on Sunday (January 29), and has reached mythical heights in Cyprus.
    His working class parents have been bombarded with phone calls and television cameras on an island where tennis is a minority sport and soccer is king.
    His mother Androula and father Christos run a clothing import business from their one-storey home in Paramytha, a small village in a wine-producing region south of the port town of Limassol.
    Paramytha means fairytale in Greek.
    Baghdatis has a younger sister, and two older brothers who also played Davis Cup tennis for their country.
    His older brother Petros is heading to Melbourne to support Marcos, taking with him religious icons passed on by the local priest for good luck. His parents said they will remain in Cyprus so as not to 'jinx' the match, despite an offer by the Cypriot government to fly them to the final.
    His brother Petros will attend with a family cousin.
    "We hope to bring the cup back. That would be great. Of course its anyone's game that day, (but) it would be nice to hold that cup," said Petros.
    Playing since he was five, Marcos was sent to a French boarding school at the age of 14 with an Olympic Solidarity scholarship to make the most of his talent.
    The time away from his family appeared well-spent when Baghdatis became the world number one junior in 2003 as well as the Australian Open junior champion. At 54 in the world rankings before the Australian Open, he is the first Cypriot to feature in the top 100.
    Baghdatis's hard-up family said they spent all their savings to support his career, not to mention a lot of stress and hardship, but they are now seeing their dreams fulfilled.
    "It's a dream. A dream that we have dreamed for a long time and it came true," said his mother Androula, sitting amongst Marco's many tennis trophies scattered around their small home.
    "When he was eleven years old he said to me, mother, (one day) I will do something that will make you very happy. And that's what Marcos did," she said.
    Cyprus has liften Baghdatis to a god-like status and people poured on to the streets after the 20-year-old beat fourth seeded Argentine David Nalbandian in Thursday's (January 26) semi-final.
    On breaks from the tennis circuit and his base in France, Baghdatis is a frequent visitor to Tsirion Stadium in Limassol, cheering on his soccer team, first division Apollon Limassol FC, which has honoured him for his previous tennis successes.
    Throughout the two-week tournament in Australia, Baghdatis has been adopted by Melbourne's large Greek community who have offered noisy support at all his matches.
    Local newspapers in Cyprus are calling him a breath of fresh air on the court.
    And his family said whatever the result of the final, Marcos is already a winner for them and for all the island.
    "He deserves to win this tournament," said his father Christos, "but the most important thing for me is to see him enjoying the match, because with his character if he isn't enjoying the game he won't be able to win."
    Municipalities are planning to erect giant video screens on the streets to allow the public to follow the match, while some Cypriots are planning to hold 'tennis parties'.
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