Gasquet and Baghdatis make Sydney final
- Friday, January 15, 2010, 13:45
- Tennis
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Richard Gasquet and Marcos Baghdatis continued to enjoy a welcome return to form by advancing to the ATP Sydney International final with contrasting victories.Gasquet (pictured), who was embroiled in an arduous and messy doping case which he was eventually cleared of, defeated his fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-3 7-5 to reach his first ATP final since Stuttgart in 2008.
Baghdatis had to work much harder before booking his place in the title match with a 6-4 6-7 7-6 victory over American Mardy Fish at the Olympic tennis centre.
The popular Cypriot made the Australian Open final in 2006 but has been plagued with injuries since and missed the last two Grand Slam events of 2009.
The world number 42 had the chance to wrap up victory in straight sets but squandered a match point in the second and had to wait until the deciding tiebreak for another opportunity in a thrilling encounter.
“I had some moments of the match that I lost my concentration, but the most important thing is that I won the match and I’m playing a final tomorrow, so that’s pretty positive,” Baghdatis said.
“It’s nice at the beginning of the year to play in a final and have a chance to win another title.”
Gasquet was all smiles as well after his won over Benneteau, although the match did not reach the same heights as the second semi-final.
The former world number seven said he was just happy to be playing again without worrying about the murky doping case he was involved in last year.
He was provisionally suspended in May after testing positive for cocaine but was later cleared of any wrongdoing after explaining that he became contaminated from kissing a woman in a nightclub.
“It’s tough to come back,” he said.
“It’s hard in the head, so it was really tiring, more tiring than to play one hundred matches for sure.
“I want to play just for fun. That’s why I’m there. I’m enjoying the match.”
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