Cypriot Fairytale

THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP OF MARCOS BAGHDATIS AND HIS HOMELAND

FROM PARAMYTHA TO THE BIGGEST TOURNAMENTS

“I have a special connection with my country” Professional Tennis player Marcos Baghdatis has stars in his eyes, when speaking about his homeland: Cyprus. It was in the little village of Paramytha, close to Limassol, where everything started and Marcos held a tennis racket for the first time. There he started winning his first tournaments supported by a family that spotted talent in that young player.

Marcos left his hometown and his family at the age of fourteen to train in one of the most prestigious tennis academies in Paris. But it was not easy for Marcos: “I had to quit everything here. Quit my friends, quit school and especially my family”. But looking back, he is aware that all the sacrifices and the dedication paid off.

MAKING HISTORY

"He did more than any other athlete from Cyprus ever did” affirms his brother Petros. It was like a fairytale: A world-class tennis champion coming from such a small country. And Marcos is really proud of his contribution to the Cypriot tennis culture: “I brought a lot of kids into sports in Cyprus, especially into Tennis. It is amazing."