Baghdatis to warm-up for Australian Open in Sydney

SYDNEY, Oct 31 (Reuters) Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis will launch his campaign to go one better at next year's first grand slam by playing a lead-up tournament in Sydney.

The flamboyant Cypriot, who captured the imagination of the tennis world with his fairytale run to this year's Australian Open final, will use the Sydney International as his warm-up event, organisers said today.

''We are thrilled to have Marcos as part of the men's draw,'' tournament director Craig Watson said in a statement.

''We all remember the interest he generated at last January's Australian Open when he came from nowhere to reach the final and take a set off Roger Federer.

''Marcos is one of the showmen in tennis right now ... without doubt Marcos has been one of the tennis discoveries of 2006 and the sport is fortunate to have a talent like him.'' The Sydney International will be held at the Olympic tennis centre January 7-13, winding up two days before the start of the Australian Open.

Also entered for the men's singles draw are French Open champion Rafael Nadal, former world number one Lleyton Hewitt and this year's champion James Blake.

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