Marcos Baghdatis walks in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela

Marcos Baghdatis had the opportunity to visit the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg on Tuesday to understand the history of South African and the legacy created by Nelson Mandela.

Baghdatis and his team were all labelled as either white or non-white prior to entering the museum and forced to enter through separate doorways.

“It’s weird you know, knowing that they separated people for everything."

"They had different toilets, black people had toilets, white people had other toilets, but it was not only that, it was everything, beaches, houses, taxi queues, entrances, bus stops and mainly the black people suffered a lot and that’s sad to hear.”

Then he was taken through a visual and physical explanation of the life of Nelson Mandala.

“I can understand now why he is a hero to so many people."

"The guy is an amazing person and whatever he wanted to and whatever he wanted to help those people he did it even if it meant death for him."

"He spent 30 years of his life in prison and he suffered a lot to maintain what he maintains today, and I have a lot of respect for him."

"I can understand now why people see him as a hero,” Baghdatis remarked.

During the tour Baghdatis was also asked to take the walk of freedom, an experience that saw him choose a series of coloured sticks which represent various characteristics of Nelson Mandela’s life.

Reflecting on his choice of sticks Baghdatis said “I chose loyalty because it’s always important to have loyalty to everything in life, courage I chose because showing courage is when you get the best out of you, and forgiveness because we have to forgive people that made mistakes and give them a second chance to make everything right for all the people that live this life and to leave a legacy that will not allow people to suffer like other people have”.

Finally the tour ended with Baghdatis signing the museum’s visitor book, the same book which Mandela signed when the museum opened in 2001.

Meanwhile at the SA Tennis Open, Baghdatis eased into the quarterfinals and he will meet David Ferrer.

(Via atpworldtour.com, SA Tennis Open website; Images by Reg Caldecott/SA Tennis Open)

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga favoured to win at SA Open

The SA Tennis Open, an ATP World Tour 250 tennis tournament, is returning to the ATP World Tour circuit for the first time since 1995.

And Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is the favourite player to win at this tennis tournament.

“I know there is Marcos Baghdatis and David Ferrer to watch out for this week. They are good players but I’m here to get through the draw and go all the way,” Tsonga said.

Born in Le Mans 23 years ago to a French mother and Congolese father, Tsonga says his appearance at the Montecasino entertainment centre in Johannesburg is a “homecoming”.

“Playing in South Africa is almost the same as being in France and I’m honouring a wish of my family, to appear at an African tournament.”

Tsonga will play against Brazilian Thiago Alves in the first round.

Here are some pictures of Tsonga in Johannesburg.


(Images via SA Tennis Open website)