Marcos Baghdatis dismantles Jurgen Melzer in quarterfinal – Malaysian Open 2011
Marcos Baghdatis, world no.60, stunned spectators as he played the quarterfinal round of the Malaysian Open 2011 against world no.21, Jurgen Melzer at the Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur. Battling it out on the indoor
hard court for an hour and 28 minutes, Baghdatis juggled the match into his pocket winning 6-3, 7-6(3) moving into the semi-final of the event.
Although the disparity in ranking had a clear win for the Austrian, however, the Cypriot proved that his repute for disrupting at any point is true. The spectators saw an epic display of professionalism as the 26-year-old Cypriot
whistled away with a win.
Firing off with the fixture, Baghdatis won the toss and served first for the opener. Serving out the first set, Melzer followed the Cypriot and levelled up the scores winning game 2, 1-1. The two rallied out the next two games
winning one each and levelling up again at 2-2.
Serving next, the world No.60 served out game 5 and stormed in to break the higher ranked Austrian and led the set 4-2. Winning another game of his serve, Baghdatis extended his lead to 5-2 with a startling forehand winner and
went off to return the world no.21.
Melzer, did cut the lead down as he served out his 3rd win in the set, however, could not hold on long enough as the Cypriot mustered away winning game 9 and the set 6-3.
With one set left to pocket the match and pluck out the world No. 2 out of the event structure, the 26-year-old stood to return first in the set. Melzer started off set 2 with a win and was followed by his contender levelling up
next in no time, 1-1.
Winning one game each next, the two equalled up again at 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and on 5-5. Playing as they could kill for win, both ended up fighting for the tiebreaker with Melzer to serve first. At the start both seemed to have equalled
matched, however, soon the tables turned.
Baghdatis broke the Austrian of his serve and commanded the tiebreaker locking down the scores to win it 7-3 and the set 7-6(3). The straight set win by the Cypriot not only shocked Melzer but also spectators and pundits alike.
At the start Melzer had all the betting odds in his favour, however, Baghdatis acted as the dark horse as he whisked away a straight, though perhaps not so simple, sets victory.
Winning the quarter-final, world No.60, Baghdatis now sits to play the semis against the second seeded Serbian, Viktor Troicki.
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