Marcos was beaten in the first round of the If Stockholm Open on Tuesday night, losing to Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-4.
Neither player was able to engineer a break of serve in the first two sets. Having saved a break point in the 10th game, Marcos was denied on a set point in the 12th game and paid the price for a costly double fault on Raonic’s first set point in the tie-break to lose the opener.
Marcos saved two break points down 15/40 in the sixth game of the second set to push the match into another tie-break. Raonic struck first to lead 4-2 as Marcos netted a backhand, but the Cypriot hit back strongly. A forehand pass on the run inspired him as he claimed five points in succession to level the match
The pressure of facing a big-serving opponent finally told for Marcos in the decider, though. Raonic earned the first and only breakthrough of the match in the third game, converting with a backhand up the line winner, and Marcos could find no way back. Raonic went on to serve out victory in two hours and 22 minutes, having fired 22 aces, but winning two points fewer than Marcos in total.
Marcos remains in contention in the doubles, playing alongside Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro. They defeated Scott Lipsky and Rajeev Ram 4-6, 7-5, 10-6 on Monday to earn a place in the quarter-finals.
Stay tuned to www.baghdatis.com for all the latest news.
