Marcos is set to open his Brisbane International campaign on Monday evening when he faces Australian wild card Benjamin Mitchell in the first round of the ATP World Tour 250 hard-court tournament.
Marcos flew to Australia on Christmas Day and has had a few days to acclimatise to the hot, humid conditions in Queensland.
“I feel pretty good. It’s always tough. It’s a long flight, there’s jet lag and you’re a bit tired,” said Marcos. “After an off-season, all the muscles feel very tired and you have to keep working.
“The main goal is the Australian Open and playing five sets in the heat. It’s been a tough four or five days, but I’m happy with the way things are going. I’m feeling well, mentally, physically, tennis wise. I’m ready for a great start.”
With the temperatures Down Under regularly in the mid-30s, sometimes in the 40s, fitness is set to play a crucial role over the next four weeks. Marcos, a former Australian Open runner-up, has worked hard to ensure he is in the best possible shape for his assault in Melbourne.
“[During the off season] I worked a lot on my physical condition,” said Marcos. “I put more hours into the running and gym work and played tennis for 3-4 weeks, 3-4 hours a day. I tried to keep the rhythm that I had at the end of the year.”
Marcos confessed he doesn’t know too much about the No. 327-ranked Mitchell, whose older brother, Luke, is an actor in Australian soap, Home and Away. Mitchell, 20, played in the Brisbane main draw last year, losing in the first round to Tatsuma Ito.
The match is set to take place second after 7:00pm on Pat Rafter Arena on Monday evening. Check out the full order of play here: http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2013/339/op.pdf
Stay tuned to www.baghdatis.com for all the latest news from Brisbane.
Go, Marcos!
