Marcos Baghdatis started the new tennis season against local wild card entrant Benjamin Mitchell in the first round of the ATP World Tour 250 Brisbane International, aiming to prove his place among the Top 20 world players.
The 27-year old Cypriot, who is ranked 36th at the beginning of the new year,it was the first time he played against the young Australian who turned pro in 2008, and whose highest ranking was 209th two years ago. Marcos won comfortably in two sets 6-4 6-4 and will now play sixth seeded German Florian Mayer who defeated Santiago Giraldo of Columbia.
The Cypriot number one will also take part in the doubles competition where, alongside Finn Jarkko Nieminen, he will take on third-seeded Colombian duo Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah in the first round later today.