Newsroom
A trailblazing career comes to an end. Cypriot tennis player Marcos Baghdatis bows out from professional tennis following his second round defeat to Matteo Berrettini at Wimbledon.
Baghdatis reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 2006 captivating the attention of a nation eager and proud of sport success.
This year before the tournament began he said that this would be his last one before retirement. His wife former player Karolina Sprem is expecting their third child in November.
Baghdatis struggled to hold back tears as he soaked up the applause from the crowd on court 2 after the match ended.
"I didn't want to leave the court," Baghdatis said. "It was a nice farewell. It felt amazing.
Baghdatis in an emotional farewell handed out tennis rackets and t-shirts, including his shoes.
Roger Federer said “you could see how good he could become because he had the speed, simple technique, forehand, backhand, which is always going to help you throughout the course of your career''.
“I think for Cyprus, he did so much coming from such a small country and becoming, you know, a sporting superstar. I’m sure that was a big deal at home''.
The 34-year-old patted his heart with both hands, then knelt and leaned his forehead on the grass, before planting a kiss on the court. He cried as the spectators celebrated his career with a lengthy standing ovation.
