06 01 27 - Gibrahayer Agenzia Armena di Cipro

Australian Open - Rod Laver Arena - Melbourne Park - Thursday 26 January, 2006 at 10:30 am www.australianopen.org

DAVID NALBANDIAN & MARCOS BAGHDATIS PLAYING MIND GAMES WITH US

GIBRAHAYER e-magazineGibrahayer Nicosia Thursday 26 January, 2006 -
Armenian Argentinean David Nalbandian - winner of the December 2005 Masters Open against world number one Roger Federer - and Cypriot rising tennis sensation Marcos Baghdatis are battling for a place in the first Grand Slam final of 2006 - The Australian Open - today (Thursday) at 10:30 am (live from RIK2 and all cable and satellite sports channels).
Marcos Baghdatis is Marcos Baghdatis is coming to the semi-finals having defeated Ivan Ljubicic, the man who was the fire power behind the 2005 Davis Cup winning team of Croatia, with the score 6-4 6-2 4-6 3-6 6-3, in a nail biting quarter final that had all of Cyprus and the Greek Diaspora glued to the box.
Wimbledon finalist of 2002 David Nalbandian - currently ranked four in the world - is bidding for a place in the finals, having (deposed?) of tennis magician Fabrice Santoro 7-5, 6-0, 6-0 and will be looking to avenge his defeat against Baghdatis, who topped him in the Basel Open semi finals 7-6, 6-2.
With tennis doing much more to the Cyprus cause than the staff and the budgets of the Foreign Ministry, with tennis bringing in more through "free" advertising than the millions of pounds spent on tourist advertisement by the CTO, Cypriots are witnessing the restoration of their national pride and the recognition of their little state through this sport.
Tennis has overnight become the national sport of the masses - at least on TV - who otherwise would be cheering for the foreign players of their local football and basketball teams. Now everyone can cheer for their local hero since besides being their own, Marcos Baghdatis has a heart of a lion and is delightful to watch. But more than anything else he is the product of Limassol... a product of Cyprus, a country that for the first time is making it big in the centre arena.
But what do Armenians of Cyprus think of this dilemma? Who will they be supporting today? Their Diasporan brother David Nalbandian or their ethnic compatriot Marcos Baghdatis? The results should be interesting, but we are not leaving it at that.
www.hayem.org has started a poll which reads as follows: If you were a Cypriot Armenian, whom would you support?
I am sure we would all agree that this dilemma goes much further than sports.
One thing is for certain though. We are going to have "OUR MAN" in the finals of the Australian Open on Sunday, one way or another.
Gibrahayer Calendar
Saturday 28 January 2006 at 8:00 pm - Jashgerouyt / Khrakhjank at AYMA. Entrance CYP 5:00. Details to follow. Reservations a must. Please call Levon Sarian on 99409988

Thursday 2 February 2006 at 7:30 pm. Reflections past and present - Apocalypse Gallery presents the new paintings of John Guevherian on Opening by Yiannis Kypri, Group Chief General Manager & Chairman of the Cultural Foundation of Bank of Cyprus. Duration:2-18 February,2006. Visiting hours:10:30-13:00&17:00-20:00

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