Sydney, Jan 24 : Australian Open 2006 runner up Marcos Baghdatis has said it’s a “pain in the arse” that the event organisers keep making him play midnight matches.

Incredibly, a year after featuring in the infamous dawn showdown with Lleyton Hewitt, Baghdatis was again ordered onto court after 11.30 p. m. for another third-round encounter on against American Mardy Fish.

Baghdatis lost to Hewitt in an epic five-setter that finished at 4.34 a. m. in the morning.

This time, the Cypriot with Australian connections beat American Mardy Fish 6-2 6-4 6-4, but again he was the last player to leave the locker rooms after their match ended at 1.14 a. m. in the morning.

And, ironically, the result for Baghdatis was the same as for Hewitt 12 months ago - a daunting fourth-round meeting with Novak Djokovic.

“I can not say it’s not a problem. It’s a bit of a pain in the arse for me because the last two years I’m here I’m finishing matches after midnight and after one o''clock, we can say,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Baghdatis, as saying.

“So it''s a bit of the pain in the arse, but I have nothing to do about it. It''s just the way it is. I''ve got to accept it and find a way to get through it and that''s where the challenge starts.”

Baghdatis did not want to make a big deal out of his misfortune, but said it would be impossible to catch up sleep before taking on reigning champion Djokovic on Sunday.

Baghdatis arrived in Melbourne ranked a lowly 97th in the world after injuries limited the one-time No. 8 to just 12 tournaments last season.

But he is growing in confidence and doesn’t view Djokovic as unbeatable. (ANI)