Marcos Baghdatis has obviously not forgotten his defeat against Lleyton Hewitt and his crazy night of January 20, 2008, ended at 4:33 a.m., after a battle in five sets of 4 hours 45 minutes, in the third round of the Australian Open. If this epic duel does not constitute the all-category record for the match finished the latest, which belongs to the German duo Alexander Zverev – Daniel Altmaier, in Acapulco in 2022 (finished at 4:54 a.m.), the former Cypriot world 8th believes that these nocturnal encounters harm the health of players and do not serve the interests of tennis.
“What memories do you have of this insane match played at the 2008 Australian Open against Lleyton Hewitt?
“It was an incredible match, a very good match on both sides, which I unfortunately lost in five sets (4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-7 [4]6-3).
Does losing a match in the middle of the night make the defeat more intense, even more frustrating?
I think it’s like every match you lose. There is always a lot of disappointment. What is certain is that after this match, I was exhausted for several days. Recovery was a little more difficult. The next day you feel a bit like a zombie.
“Not only do games that end late at night harm players, they also have negative consequences for fans, event employees, ball boys and the sport as a whole. »
At some point, around 3 a.m., you don’t feel tired?
No, not so much during the match, simply because the adrenaline is very high. There were people who stayed in the stadium until the end of the match, but many left after the first set. Which is understandable, they have a life, a job the next day! I think many would have enjoyed this epic match at a more convenient time.
Do you remember what time you went to bed? Did you eat anything before going to bed?
There is actually cold food in the locker room, so I was able to eat something and went to bed, after all the recovery care, around 7am.
Do you think that Novak Djokovic can still feel this Monday, in the quarter-finals against Francisco Cerundolo, the after-effects of his round of 16 ending at 3:06 a.m. on Sunday?
It is incredibly difficult for players to recover, both physically and mentally, after such a long night. Players should be empowered to compete to their fullest potential, not forced to fight until the early hours and then return to battle without adequate rest, recovery and preparation time. This is neither fair, nor safe, nor healthy for them. Not only do games that end late at night harm players, but they also have negative consequences for fans, event employees, ball boys and the sport as a whole. Unfortunately, these late endings continue to happen and will continue to happen until leaders and tournament organizers are willing to sit down and explore real solutions. In the meantime, players will continue to be put at risk, which is inexcusable. »
