By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, February 27, 2016
Stan Wawrinka withstood five set points in the tie breaker and a feisty Marcos Baghdatis, 6-4, 7-6 (13), to capture his 13th career title in Dubai.
Photo credit: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
A sprawling Marcos Baghdatis skidded onto the seat of his shorts chasing a Stan Wawrinka blast in the tie break.
It was one of the few times anyone in the place was off their feet during a pulsating tie breaker.
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Baghdatis was willing to shed skin racing around the hard court with abandon, but Wawrinka prevailed in a wildly entertaining tie break warding off a feisty opponent, 6-4, 7-6 (13) in the Dubai final.
Wawrinka won his ninth straight final to collect his 13th career title. The two-time Grand Slam champion has not lost a final in three years.
Wawrinka kept calm fighting off five set points in a near 30-minute tie breaker in which each player pushed each other—and exuberant fans— to frenzied heights. In the end, Baghdatis steered backhand wide to end a one-hour, 54-minute thriller that popped with some electric shot-making between 30-year-old shotmakers.
"It was a great final; a really tough one," Wawrinka said. "It's always a tough match versus Marcos. I had to fight till the end. A crazy tie break. It was my best match of the week I'm really happy with the way I played today."
The second-seeded Swiss banged successive aces holding in the opening game.
Winless in five prior meetings with Wawrinka, Baghdatis changed things up serve-and-volleying a couple times in his opening service game. Baghdatis won a crosscourt forehand exchange scoring the first break for 3-2.
It was a short-lived lead.
The Roland Garros champion targeted Baghdatis' more unruly forehand side, drawing errors for triple-break point. Wawrinka ripped a forehand pass crosscourt breaking back for 3-all.
The pressure of playing for his first title in six years squeezed Baghdatis' arm in the 10th game. He gagged on successive double-faults handing his opponent triple set point.
Repeatedly catching his wavering high toss, Baghdatis saved four set points in a row, including an ace down the T on the second. But Wawrinka rapped a backhand down the line for a fifth set point.
Catching his toss again before a second serve, a tight Baghdatis flagged his third double fault of the game and sixth of the set donating the break. Baghdatis, who served 45 percent in his three-set semifinal win over Feliciano Lopez, connected on just 42 percent of his first serves in the opening set today. In contrast, Wawrinka served 70 percent in the opener.
The second set opened with a spectacular running get by Baghdatis that roused the faithful.
The 57th-ranked Cypriot, who showed his sportsmanship high-fiving Wawrinka after the Swiss' smash hit him, kept scrambling and tried tempting Wawrinka into over-hitting with slow, slice backhands.
When Baghdatis, who had won 12 of his last 13 service points, held at 15 for 5-all, fans waving the Cyprus flag responded chanting "Marcos! Marcos!"
"The atmosphere out there was the best I have ever had," Baghdatis said afterward. "I want to thank everyone for coming out."
Things were just heating up.
A topsy turvy tie breaker played out like a mini set.
Wawrinka cranked a forehand crosscourt for 4-1, eventually extending to 5-3. Then it was his turn to tighten up. A double fault and a pair of mis-hit backhands gave Baghdatis his first set point. Wawrinka pounded a wide serve wide to save it.
Baghdatis, who fought off a championship point at 6-7 when Wawrinka's wild backhand missed the doubles alley, held set points at 8-7, 9-8, 10-9 and 12-11.
Refusing to blink, Wawrinka played even more aggressively down set points. Baghdatis denied a third championship point for 13-all. Wawrinka created an exceptional sharp-angled backhand to earn his fourth championship point.