Cyprus Mail
By Nemanja BjedovMarcos Baghdatis and Rares Cuzdriorean teamed up for a doubles win that put Cyprus up 2-1 over Morocco in a best-of-five Davis Cup Europe/Africa Group II first round series at the Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center in Limassol Saturday afternoon.
The Cypriots lost their service just once in a 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 victory over Morocco’s Anas Fattar and Younes Rachidi.
In the first set Morocco took a quick 2-0 lead after breaking Baghdatis’ serve in the second service game of the match, but the Cypriot duo replied instantly and captured four successive games to take a 4-2 lead. Fattar then managed to hold onto his serve and the visitors reduced their deficit to 4-3; however, Baghdatis and Cuzdriorean raised the level of their performance in the following two games to claim the first set at 6-3.
They then continued to dominate in the second set as they breezed past their opponents, winning six consecutive service games to sweep Moroccans 6-0. The streak continued in the third set as the home nation went on to take a 3-0 lead after breaking Rachidi’s serve in the second service game. Fattar managed to keep both of his service games in the third, but that was only enough for a 6-3 loss.
Baghdatis opens Sunday’s play against Yassine Idmbarek, while Sergis Kyratzis is scheduled to meet Rachidi in the ultimate rubber of the tie. If Baghdatis seals the victory for Cyprus, the national team captain Yiannis Hadjigeorgiou could give a chance to Christos Hadjigeorgiou in the final match of the day.
Should Cyprus progress to the second round they would then face Ukraine as the the ex-Soviet nations leads Monaco 3-0 after the first two days of competition.
