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Baghdatis victory sets up final clash with Roddick

Confident Marcos Baghdatis said he was in prime shape to face Andy Roddick in today's Kooyong Classic final after winning a battle of former Australian Open finalists yesterday.

Baghdatis, who lost the 2006 Open title match to Roger Federer, pounced on more than 60 errors by last year's finalist Fernando Gonzalez to earn a 6-2, 7-5 victory in 70 minutes.

Even with the Australian Open beginning on Monday, the Cypriot star said he was still keeping his focus on the current tournament.

"I came here to win the tournament," said the world No. 16, who won fans' hearts when he lost to Federer in the Open at Melbourne Park two years ago.

"I won't think about the Aussie Open. I'll do that after the match," he said. "At the moment, I think I have the game to beat anyone. I'll just go on to court and try to find a solution to win."

The contest was played as 40oC temperatures began to drop with the arrival of a cool change that is expected to plunge the mercury into the mid-20s in high summer.

It started as a rout for Baghdatis as Chilean Gonzalez failed to find his rhythm.

Baghdatis went up a double break in the opening set to sweep it in 23 minutes. But Gonzalez's resistance stiffened in the second set, coming back from an early break for 5-5 after saving a match point in the ninth game.

As the wind picked up, it was a war of attrition, with Baghdatis in position to close it out, albeit on his fifth match point.

Baghdatis said he was keen to continue the form he was in at the end of last season, when he reached the Paris Masters semis in his last match of the year.

"I didn't want to stop, I felt so good," he said. "Even if I don't play well in Australia this month, it won't matter."

"The way I'm playing I know that sooner or later I'll come good," he said.
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