29
The Tears of Baghdatis and the Rain in Paris
58 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
Marcos Baghdatis was leading Santiago Giraldo a set and 4-3 today in the first round at Roland Garros but called a medical timeout and then suddenly retired. He was in tears in his chair. It’s yet another heartbreaking loss for the soon-to-be 33 year old Baghdatis.
The Cypriot has had his fair share of those. None more memorable than the fifth set tiebreaker devastation to Agassi at the US Open in 2006. That loss killed the career of Baghdatis, who was top ten that year as an Australian Open finalist and Wimbledon semifinalist. For the rest of his career until now Baghdatis has only reached on major quarterfinal – at Wimbledon in 2007. The rest of Bag’s career is a slew of first, second and third round failures in majors.
It’s a grim reeality of tennis how one brutal, traumatic loss can kill a man’s career. It happened to Vince Spadea who served for the win vs Michael Chang at US Open third round under the lights on Louie Armstrong but ultimately lost in five. Spadea was never really a factor after that.
Paul Henri Mathieu was up two sets and at 4-4 in the final fifth rubber vs Mikhail Youzhny to win the Davis Cup for France in France but somehow let Youzhny off the hook in five.
One loss doesn’t always equal one loss in tennis, sometimes it can equal a hundred losses.
It’s so sad to see Baghdatis toil along for a decade as a journeyman when in 2006 he showed us all he was and should have been an ATP superstar.
Bagdhatis did win four ATP singles titles – in Sydney, Zagreb, Stockholm and Beijing, and he did whoop Federer in Indian Wells one year. But he should have achieved so much more. 2006 should have been just the beginning.
As the tears fell in Paris today with the rains, you have to wonder how many more times we will see the colorful, charismatic Marcos Baghdatis play on the Grand Slam stages…
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
« Previous 1 2Duke Carnoustie · May 30, 2018 at 1:08 pm
Well my upset special of JD over Grigor almost happened. Great fight by the kid who continues to prove me wrong. He is one of the shining lights of U.S. tennis, unlike Sock or Sam Querrey.
In fairness to Sam, his wedding to Abby is next weekend so he wanted to lose quick and get ready. Now he’s out of doubles and singles. Unfortunately, despite my contributions to this site, it’s another wedding I was not invited to! Go figure.
catherine · May 30, 2018 at 1:19 pm
Duke you must have a bulging folder full of non-invitations. I looked hard but I didn’t spot you at the Royal Nuptials either – Serena got there but not Duke 🙂
Duke Carnoustie · May 30, 2018 at 1:38 pm
C
That one I could have gone to but I had a pedicure scheduled instead!
Scoop Malinowski · May 30, 2018 at 1:59 pm
Catherine, and the players Djokovic imitated didn’t find him funny at all either but he most certainly was hilarious.
catherine · May 30, 2018 at 2:48 pm
Well, looks like Parmentier isn’t finding Cornet that hilarious because she’s about to dump her out of RG in 3 sets 🙂
catherine · May 30, 2018 at 3:13 pm
Exit Cornet – needs more drama lessons 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · May 30, 2018 at 4:57 pm
Cornet should beat Parmentier who I can’t recall her doing much in the WTA. Cornet has a solid game and battles but she always seems to fall short. I can’t even recall her signature or defining moment. Of course she could pull off a Puig or Pennetta in the future. She’s one of those wacky wildcards who could suddenly get on fire.
Duke Carnoustie · May 31, 2018 at 12:03 pm
Coco flames out. No doubt she blamed the chair umpire like her buddy Jack Sock.
Quietly Coric is making his move again.
Big one set for Saturday. Rafa puts his 15-0 career mark vs. Gasquet on the line in front of a rabid pro-French crowd. I say Gasquet does the unthinkable and wins a set.