Cypriot tennis icon Marcos Baghdatis will face former world number one Andre Agassi in an exhibition match this September in Limassol. The match will celebrate the opening of the Marcos Baghdatis Tennis Academy, located at the City of Dreams Mediterranean resort.
In addition to the tennis match, the event will feature various activities, surprises, and opportunities to win exclusive prizes. Grant Johnson, general manager of the resort, expressed excitement about hosting the match. “We are thrilled to host this match between two tennis legends to mark the opening of the Marcos Baghdatis Tennis Academy,” Johnson said. “This event will be a memorable occasion and a significant moment for Cypriot sport.”
Johnson emphasized the academy’s role in nurturing future tennis talent and engaging the local community.
Marcos Baghdatis, born in Paramytha, Limassol, in 1985, rose to prominence in tennis by winning the Junior Australian Open in 2003. He turned professional the same year and reached the Australian Open final in 2006, where he won the first set against Roger Federer before losing in four sets. Baghdatis also made it to the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2006 but was defeated by Rafael Nadal. He achieved his highest world ranking of eighth in August 2006. Despite battling injuries in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Baghdatis continued to excel, retiring in 2019 after a final defeat to Matteo Berrettini at Wimbledon. He also notably set a Davis Cup record by winning 36 consecutive matches for Cyprus.
Andre Agassi is a tennis legend known for his achievements, including eight Grand Slam titles: four Australian Opens, two US Opens, one French Open, and one Wimbledon. He is one of only five men in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam. Agassi also won a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and three Davis Cups with the US team. He married German tennis great Steffi Graf in 2001, and the couple has two children.
