Baghdatis hits form at US Open

By Nemanja Bjedov
MARCOS Baghdatis advanced to the third round at the US Open for the first time in his career after thrashing 17th seed Kevin Anderson of South Africa 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 at Flushing Meadows.
Long matches on Court 17 delayed the start, but the Cypriot was quick out of the blocks against Anderson, taking advantage of a string of unforced errors to claim the first set 6-2 in 26 minutes.
The big-serving South African continued to struggle on serve as Baghdatis raced into a two-set lead.
The 28-year-old Limassol man then refused to give his opponent a route back into the match as he rattled off a straight-sets win in 88 minutes, rolling the back the years with a vintage display to banish memories of a wretched run of form so far in 2013.
Looking confident in his ground strokes, Baghdatis hit 34 winners, twice as many as Anderson and committed just 13 unforced errors.
A strong serving display from the World No.53 ensured he did not face a break point during the match and he won 76 per cent of his service points.
Baghdatis will now face Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, who edged Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 7-5, 7-6, 6-4.
This will be the third meeting between the pair with Wawrinka winning both previous encounters.
He overcame Baghdatis in the second round of the Australian Open last season in four sets, while his maiden victory over the Cypriot came in 2008 at the Indian Wells Masters.

 

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