Childhood misery turns gold for Baghdatis

LONDON: Playing in a Wimbledon semifinal was just another teenage dream when Marcos Baghdatis was growing up in the backwoods of Cyprus. But a life-changing decision to leave behind his sleepy village and his family when he was just 13 kickstarted a professional career which took him to the Australian Open final in January and now sees him just one match away from a Wimbledon title match.

The name of the village where he grew up translates into English as ‘fairytale’, but when Baghdatis left his island for Paris it was more of a horror story. “I went to Paris to play tennis because it was not possible to do it in Cyprus. I stayed there for seven years so I didn’t see my parents much,” says the Cypriot. “It was difficult to go as a kid to another country, not knowing the language, all alone and just grow up with another family. You can imagine how difficult it was.”

Baghdatis, still just 21, learnt his trade at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in Paris and became the world’s top junior player in 2003. He is fulsome in his praise for all those who nurtured his career in France. “The French family I was staying with helped me. They showed me so much love. And also Patrick Mouratoglou, he gave me everything and helped me find so many solutions. He was one of the only guys who believed in me,” he says.

Baghdatis is far from alone at Wimbledon with his biggest fan being his mother Andry, who prays during matches and was in tears as her son beat 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt in the quarter-finals on Wednesday. His joyous demeanour and enthusiasm for every point, no matter how humble, has won him a legion of fans both here and in Melbourne where each match was witnessed by a small army of Cypriot fans. “That’s the way I am, that’s who I am,” he says. “I love this game, I love going on court and playing in front of so many people.”  He had never won a professional match at Wimbledon before this year and that dismal record looked likely to continue when he was two sets to one down against British wildcard Alan Mackin in the first round. But he recovered and hasn’t looked back.

His impressive win over Hewitt, a former world number one, has made him even hungrier for a Grand Slam title and a possible rematch with Roger Federer, the man who beat him in the Australian Open final. “Why not?” he shots back when asked if he could be a Wimbledon champion. “I’m in the semis of a Grand Slam. Everybody can beat everybody.”

Hewitt, however, begs to differ. In the last nine Grand Slam tournaments in which he has taken part, the man who beat him went on to take the title. But not this time. “Roger Federer’s going to win it,” predicts Hewitt.

Being Marcos

• Parent trap: The son of a Lebanese father and Greek Cypriot mother, Marcos Baghdatis calls Limassol, in Cyprus, his home
• Religious matters: He’s a Greek orthodox Christian who can be spotted crossing himself before each game and frequently kissing the gold crucifix hanging round his neck
• All in the family: Has a younger sister, Zena, who was adopted when she was one-month-old, and two elder brothers, Marinos and Petros, who have also played Davis Cup for their country
• Cheer’ios: His fans chant “Marco eisai trella, me thn asprh thn fanella!” (Marcos you are crazy, wearing the white shirt) in Greek to cheer him on
• Lady luck: He’s currently dating Camille Neviere, a French model, who is the stepdaughter of his French coach Guillaume Payre
• A footballer too: He enjoys playing and watching football, and is a staunch supporter of Apollon Limassol club in Cyprusa