Cinderella Story One Step Away From Complete

Marcos Baghdatis, 54th best player in the world, and competing in just his sixth Grand Slam event in his career, has cemented a spot in Sunday’s Australian Open final after a come from behind five set win over fourth seed David Nalbandian at Rod Laver Arena tonight.

Baghdatis, the 20-year-old from Cyrpus, had to come from two sets down to defeat Nalbandian 3-6 5-7 6-3 6-4 6-4 in almost three and a half hours of exhausting tennis to reach his second ever final on the ATP tour after finishing his 2005 season with a defeat to Fernando Gonzalez in the Davidoff Swiss Indoors in Basel, Switzerland.

Unfortunately for Nalbandian, it was again a case of being close to the prize of a Grand Slam victory, but falling short. He has been beaten in a final of a Grand Slam once (to Lleyton Hewitt in Wimbledon 2002) and has now fallen three times at the semi final stage.

Tonight’s defeat, brought back memories of being defeated by American Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open when he was leading Roddick by two sets and actually had a match point in the third set, before going down in five. To be the fourth best player in the world, Nalbandian can not continue to let these matches slip through his grasp if he is ever to win a Grand Slam.

All looked well for the Argentine however as he smoothly went about his ways in the first two sets, continuing on his good form from the quarter finals when he thrashed Fabrice Santoro in straight sets, however Baghdatis has had an aura about him this fortnight, and would not take this lying down.

The longer the match went on, the closer Baghdatis got back into the match, he won the third set fairly easily and after some nervous moments in the fourth set, took the match into a fifth set. From here it was a battle of wills.

Nalbandian shot to a 4-2 lead, with a serve to come when Baghdatis made his charge at victory, breaking Nalbandian easily, before holding his serve at the change of ends to make it 4-4. Then the unthinkable happened and he broke Nalbandian again to take a 5-4 lead.

Of course there was another twist in the tale, rain fell at Rod Laver Arena, when it was more needed in the bushfires in the Victorian Grampians. The 20 minute rain delay did not halt Baghdatis’ charge to the final and he finally succeeded, having reached a Grand Slam final in just his 36th ATP tour match.

Baghdatis will know who his opponent for Sunday’s final will be tomorrow when world number one Roger Federer meets Germany’s Nicholas Kiefer in the other semi final.

Related Article:

Mauresmo and Henin-Hardenne advance in sizzling conditions (Thurs Jan 26)

•  Have a view on this story? Send us your feedback!