Battle of 5-set Warriors

Yes both 28 seed and former finalist - 2006 would you believe? - Marcos Baghdatis from Cyprus, and Japan's Tatsuma Ito were "fresh" from all the way victories in their opening rounds here.  Marcos had battled past Spain's Albert Ramos after losing Set 1, while Tatsuma took the full distance to overcome Aussie John Millman from a 2 sets to love advantage.
Easily the crowd favourite based on noise factor, Marcos is never guilty of giving less than his utmost to the cause and we have seen proof of that for many years.  Tatsuma is relatively new to the scene this being only his second singles appearance in the main draw at Melbourne Park, and already he is showing a propensity for a good fight.

Ito kicked off proceedings and he and Baghdatis to put it kindly were essentially feeling their way into the match in the early stages.  To illustrate the point Baghdatis won the first two games without hitting a clean winner.  His fortune came off the back of Ito errors.  However, these were  dramatically reduced and accordingly the Japanese side of the scoreboard registered the fact.  When Baghdatis held serve for 3-1 no one could have foreseen the next turn in the battle, because it was the last taste of first set success for the popular Cypriot.  Tatsuma had begun to out run out serve and out think Marcos and 6-3 snuck up on all of us.

However we knew from history that Marcos would have something to say about this predicament, and not just literally.  Sure enough he matched the Japanese player in the second set before breaking and holding to level at a set apiece.
Ito was wilting under the pressure that Baghdatis had exerted now on a consistent and annoying basis.
It did not improve in the third set which displayed all of the tricks from the traditional Marcos show not limited to but certainly including the forehand hit from seemingly as wide as six rows into the stand.  One break multiplied into two to grant ownership of Set 3 to a grateful Baghdatis, now a front runner and renowned as one of the best front runners running.  3-6 6-3 6-2 and the Cypriot fan base, with the mute button set to ON for the first set and a half, now had turned the volume up to high and then some.

Ito could ill afford another failure at the service line but as things eventuated he would need to find a way to finance the cost of further suffering at the hands of an unapologetic Cypriot.
Down the initial break in Set 4, Ito threw the rest of what he had into his work and he held tough, trailing 2-4 but only the single break behind.  However, the experience and better all round game of Baghdatis rose to the occasion and for the final two games there was no answer.

The talented Marcos entertained with a personality and style of game which should see him in at least the third round. 3-6 6-3 6-2 6-2