He is the only player from his country to ever reach a Grand Slam final and beat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal during his career

Follow us on Google Discover

Reaching a Grand Slam final is the goal for many tennis players as they look to achieve Major success.

There’s nothing quite like Grand Slam tennis when the best players on the ATP Tour gather at one of the sport’s most iconic venues to compete for the title.

This year’s Australian Open saw defending champion Jannik Sinner win his second-straight crown down under, as he beat Alexander Zverev in the final, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3.

In 2024, the Italian shared the four Majors evenly with his rival Carlos Alcaraz, who secured victories at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

The Grand Slam circus will soon head to Paris for the French Open, where the Spaniard will look to defend his title and win his nation’s 38th Major trophy.

Back in 2006, one young star became the first player from his nation to reach a Grand Slam final, as he looked to break new ground in Melbourne.

Marcos Baghdatis: The first Cypriot player to reach a Grand Slam final

Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis entered the 2006 Australian Open as an unseeded 20-year-old, having won just four matches at Major tournaments in his career to date.

He quickly added to that tally, as the fans warmed to the exciting youngster who battled his way through to the fourth round.

• 1R – Marcos Baghdatis beat Justin Gimelstob, 7-6, 7-5, 6-0
• 2R – Marcos Baghdatis beat [17] Radek Stepanek, 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 0-6, 7-5
• 3R – Marcos Baghdatis beat Denis Gremelmayr, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2

There he faced off against number two seed, Andy Roddick, who had reached the semi-finals of the 2005 Australian Open.

Securing the highest-ranked win of his career, Baghdatis beat the American in four sets, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to his first Grand Slam quarter-final.

Next up was a tough test against world number eight Ivan Ljubicic, who took Baghdatis all the way.

The Cypriot took a two-set lead before Ljubicic fought back to send the match into a deciding set, as tension rose with a place in the last four on the line.

Winning the final set, 6-3, Baghdatis made his way into the semis, where he took on fourth seed David Nalbandian.

Trailing by two sets to love, this time it was Baghdatis’ turn to fight back from the brink, as he rattled off three straight sets, to book his place in the Australian Open final.

Fans at Melbourne Park were going crazy for Baghdatis, as the strong Greek community came out in numbers to support the underdog.

He’d need to pull off one last miraculous upset to win the title, as world number one Roger Federer stood in his way.

Baghdatis began the final looking to do just that, playing at the peak of his powers, grabbing the first set, 7-5.

An early break for the Cypriot star in the second had Federer and his fans worried that Baghdatis could well do the unthinkable on Rod Laver Arena.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Baghdatis’ level soon dropped as the pressure of the occasion began to show, allowing Federer to break back and clinch the second, 7-5.

Knowing that his chance may have slipped through his fingers, Baghdatis capitulated in the final two sets, winning just two games as Federer lifted the trophy, 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2.

Speaking after the match, Baghdatis knew exactly what went wrong, as he admitted that he started ‘stressing’ when leading in the second set.

“I really played very well first two sets, I had my chances, I had a break in the second,” he said.

“I just start thinking, got a bit stressed out, stopped playing my game, made some mistakes, gave the chance to Roger [Federer] to come in and play his game and be aggressive, and that cost the match I think.

“So I’m a bit unhappy but, I mean, it’s just after the match and just I need, I think it will take me one or two days to come back and smile again.”

During his run in Melbourne, there had been talk of Baghdatis being offered Australian citizenship, something he politely declined, as he reiterated his loyalty to Cyprus.

“Really, tell you the truth, that’s not what’s in my mind for the moment,” he said.

“I mean, my dream is to win Davis Cup for my country.

“My country is Cyprus, and I want to do it with them.”

Baghdatis and Cyprus were never quite able to win the Davis Cup, but he did break Bjorn Borg’s record for consecutive singles victories at the tournament.

When Baghdatis fell to defeat against Tunisia’s Moez Echargui in 2017, he lost his first match in 37, having won 36 straight matches in singles competition.

A remarkable record that remains to this day, and may never be broken.

Marcos Baghdatis beat Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in 2010

Baghdatis never returned to a Major final after losing to Federer at the 2006 Australian Open but that’s not to say he didn’t exact his revenge over the Swiss star.

The pair faced off for a seventh time at Indian Wells in 2010, as the Cypriot continued his return to form having struggled with injuries in 2008 and 2009.

Playing for a place in the last 16, it was world number one Federer who took the first set, 7-5.

In a reverse of their Melbourne encounter four years earlier, Baghdatis then won the second set 7-5, leveling proceedings in California.

Edging the third in a tiebreaker, 7-6 [7-4], Baghdatis scored his first win over a world number one, taking down Federer in an instant classic.

His success over world number one’s continued later that year, as the Cypriot took on Spain’s Rafael Nadal in Cincinnati.

Competing in just his third Masters 1000 quarter-final, Baghdatis shocked Nadal in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, to advance to the last four.

Speaking after the match, Baghdatis was delighted to have beaten two top players in the same year.

“For sure, I had a great win today, I had one against Roger [Federer] in Indian Wells, that one was really good, but I’m feeling very happy, playing good tennis, I’m happy on court, moving well, so I’m very happy,” he said.

Baghdatis eventually lost in the semi-finals to old rival Federer in Cincinnati before his form began to fade during the latter stages of his career.

The Cypriot retired in 2019 as the greatest player in his nation’s history, having reached a career-high of eighth in the world, winning four tour-level titles.

Baghdatis may never have won a Grand Slam or the Davis Cup but he will certainly never be forgotten, as he represented Cyprus with pride throughout his legendary career.