Family man Baghdatis enjoying resurgence as he reaches Dubai final

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  • Marcos Baghdatis.

    When Marcos Baghdatis looks back at his tumultuous 13-year career, he pinpoints his decision to marry his wife Karolina Sprem as the real turning point for him.

    Baghdatis, who faces Stan Wawrinka in Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free final searching for a first title since 2010, has experienced all the highs and lows a player could possibly imagine.

    He made the Australian Open final in 2006, became a top-10 player, plummeted in the rankings in several injury-plagued seasons before climbing back into the top-50 last year.

    The popular Cypriot considered retiring from the sport, having suffered one injury after another but says Sprem, who is a former top-20 WTA player, urged him to continue and starting a family with her made all the difference to Baghdatis.

    They got married mid-2012, had their first child Zahra a few months later and welcomed their second daughter last December.

    The 30-year-old Baghdatis went back to the Challenger Tour in 2014 to kick-start his career and last season, he reached his first ATP title in four years, in Atlanta to finish 2015 ranked inside the top-50.

    In front of a roaring crowd that supported him last night, Baghdatis came back from a set and a break down to defeat sixth-seeded Feliciano Lopez 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-1 and reach his first Dubai final.

    “It’s been a long road for me the last three, four years. It’s all about fighting, getting back to where I want to be. Last year we set some goals to be top-50 with my team. I achieved that. Now I’m moving forward,” an elated Baghdatis said on Friday.

    “I think I have still a lot to improve on, but the most important thing is health-wise I’m very, very good. I don’t have any injuries and health problems that I had.

    “Yeah, I’m happy I’m back on the court and winning. It’s a nice feeling. I’m going to work even harder so it continues.

    “I have definitely thought of retiring. That’s where my wife was there and was very strong, made me take the right decisions.”

    Asked what the turning point was for him, Baghdatis said: “Marrying my wife, I think. Having her around. It’s amazing to have her around because she played tennis. She was top-20. She knows how it is. It’s like having a coach at that level because she went through it psychologically.

    “So I think that’s the turning point. Then starting to have a family. We have two children right now. But since we had the first one, your mind changes a bit. You start to think more and be more organised and more disciplined in what you do.”

    Baghdatis said the goal for this season is to re-enter the top-30. His run to the final this week already takes him to around 38 in the rankings and he knows he could go even higher than that target he and his team had set for him.

    “I want to put a realistic goal because I’m a guy who gets really frustrated early. I’m not so patient,” he said with a smile.

    “No, I need to put goals that are realistic. I’m 30 years old, you know. It’s not so easy on the body anymore.”

    Three of the four semi-finalists in Dubai were 30 or above and five of the world’s top-10 are also in that age bracket.

    Does the fact that so many over-30 players are doing so well right now give him faith that he can still achieve great things in the sport?

    “In one way, yes,” said the Cypriot, whose last of the four titles he has won came in 2010.

    “But I think it’s how the person feels. It’s not only their age. It’s how your body reacts after tough trainings, after tough matches. I think that’s the key of deciding whether you can or not.

    “So, yeah, I mean, it’s for sure good seeing other guys winning tournaments over 30, last year we had a lot of guys over 30 winning tournaments.

    “To see them winning a tournament, it’s also nice for me because it gives me some more motivation and belief that I can do it.”

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