Baghdatis beats Becker in Basel

By Nemanja Bjedov

MARCOS Baghdatis on Tuesday beat German qualifier Benjamin Becker 7-6(8), 6-1 in the first round of the Swiss Indoors in Basel to avoid his 15th first-round exit of the season.Baghdatis was desperate to return to winning ways after his dismal form this month cost him another 22 places in the latest ATP rankings and the 28-year-old Cypriot now stands on the verge of dropping out of the Top-100 as he languishes in 97th place.

He will now take on the winner of the match between top-seeded Argentine Juan Martine Del Potro and local wild card entrant Henri Laaksonen.