Cyprus rejoices in Baghdatis victory

In Cyprus, the tennis term 'deuce' is usually reserved for leisurely games of backgammon in smoke-filled, dusty coffee shops.

With only a dozen or so tennis clubs and about 6,000 registered tennis players, the sport is largely regarded as the game for the rich few on the eastern Mediterranean island of just under one million people.

Thanks to the exploits of their compatriot Marcos Baghdatis at the Australian Open, however, tennis terminology is suddenly the talk of the island's bars.

What was a trickle of interest has turned into a wave as Cypriots wake up to the realisation that they have a sporting superstar in their midst.

Victory over former world number one Andy Roddick was followed on Tuesday by a five-set nail biter against seventh seeded Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.

The 20-year-old Baghdatis is now just one victory away from a Grand Slam final in only his sixth appearance at a major.

A tournament on the other side of the world that usually holds no interest for the vast majority of Cypriots has suddenly got them glued to television sets or nipping out of the office to catch the action.

After his victory over Ljubicic, hundreds of people poured on to the streets of Baghdatis's home town of Limassol.

In scenes more reminiscent of soccer celebrations, joyful Cypriots honked their car horns and jumped into fountains, braving overcast skies and chilly temperatures.

"I wept. This was an amazing feat," said 36-year-old Greek Cypriot Marios Pavlou, whose tennis knowledge is restricted to watching Wimbledon competitions on television.

"Not many people know about tennis. Cypriots are more into group sports, like football. Then they can all gang up on the referee," he added.

A girl dancing in a Limassol fountain waving a blue-and-white Greek flag added: "He was perfect, he is our hero."

Baghdatis, packed off to a French boarding school to hone his tennis skills at 14, displayed signs of his talent when he became the world's number one junior in 2003.

"We've never had a player in the top 1,000, let alone the top 100. This is an amazing story," said Simon Aynedjian, the Cyprus over-35 and over-45 champion.

Baghdatis's family watched the game from their Limassol home and later took part in celebrations.

"I didn't think he would lose but it was a bit tense," said Baghdatis's elder brother Petros, wearing a t-shirt with his brother's picture on it.

When his mobile phone rang the cheers subsided. It was Baghdatis calling from Australia. There was a faint "hello" when the phone was put on a loudspeaker and then his words were drowned out by chants from fans.

"Who wouldn't be proud of a boy like that?"