Baghdatis shines at Rome Masters
Cypriot tennis player Marcos Baghdatis, ranked 18th in the world, advanced to the third round of the Rome Masters after rebounding from a set down to defeat Czech Radek Stepanek, the world’s number 29. Baghdatis went down 6-3 in the first set and snatched the second set 7-6 before taking total control in the third and final set for a convincing 6-3 win. The Cypriot now faces 20-year-old Serb Novak Djokovic in the next round. Baghdatis began his quest at the Rome Masters with a straight-sets (6-2, 6-3) victory over Spaniard Carlos Moya, ranked 34 in the world. Moya had won the 2004 title in Rome in straight sets against Argentine David Nalbandian. Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the world’s number two, has won the past two titles at the Rome Masters. Last year, he defeated the world’s top player Roger Federer in five sets for the title.
