Part 3

Printable Version One squeak and one cake walk into the final. So the final is all set! Marcos Baghdatis versus “Luba” as the crowd calls Ivan Ljubicic when they do this rhythmic chanting thing. Baghdatis routined Alexander Peya 6-4, 6-2 in the first semi. Peya served and volleyed and I got a few of those rare sequences on film, but basically he gave up the tactic (and all hope) by the second set as Baghdatis discouraged him with his returns and passes, and smoking groundstroke winners. Now the quarterfinal the night before was another story. Marcos ended up needing everything he had to just barely squeak by Arnaud Clement in a breaker in the third. Bagdhatis won the first set easily and served for it in the second, but tightened up a little bit and made a couple of loose errors to let Clement back in at 5-5. From then on it was like Clement was a different player, doggedly fighting for every ball and matching Marcos toe to toe. Clement has an unorthodox breathing style that is quite unpleasant. He exhales loudly well after he hits, and then strangely again as the ball is traveling back toward him. It’s…