AustralianOpen
SAFIN/N. Djokovic 6‑0, 6‑2, 6‑1
Q. That looked almost a perfect start for you
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, it looked good. For the first round, knowing that they are always difficult, it's better to concentrate and give the maximum, you know, without any complications.
Q. Especially after last year when you had the tough matches later on.
MARAT SAFIN: Basically, yeah. Try to spend much less time on the court as possible because you never know where you're gonna end up, you know, closer you get to the final. So basically it's better to be fresh.
Q. Was it difficult playing a guy that you've never played before, you haven't seen much of?
MARAT SAFIN: It's difficult. It's also difficult because it's first round. It's also difficult because he is young and nobody knows anything about him, and knowing that he gonna come up there and play the best tennis he can and get the support of the crowd. He will try to just go for it, so you have to be really careful with that and expect the worst.
Q. That was a pretty loud crowd at times between the small Russian group and the small Croatian group. Almost like a soccer match.
MARAT SAFIN: It's good that it was small, huh? I really happy that actually the first day of the tournament is a lot of people, and also the crowd like from Serbia and from Russia, fans are coming, they staying for the night session even though it was cold. So it's really good for tennis. I'm really happy to see that and to see that tennis is still there. I'm happy. I'm really happy.
Q. Could you tell us anything that they were saying to you? Was it a distraction at all?
MARAT SAFIN: No, not at all. The people, they pay the money to enjoy. It's actually entertainment, like going to the movies or going to ‑ I don't know ‑ somewhere else. Basically they choose to come and watch tennis, why they shouldn't enjoy it? We're there to make the show basically.
Q. What words did you have for him after the match?
MARAT SAFIN: I mean, he came and said, "Sorry." I don't know why he said sorry, because he apparently ‑‑ because it was so easy. But the guy tried everything. He tried his best tennis, but I played pretty good and just told him that he gonna be great player ‑ and he will be. I mean, he is young. He is 17 years old, turning 18 this year. He has great potential, and I wish him all the best because he is gonna have a very long career, I hope for him, if he continues this way and he continues to working hard. Just I wish him all the best. That's what I said to him.
Q. Do you just look at the individual matches, or do you look further with Carlos losing today?
MARAT SAFIN: That was a little bit interesting upsets today. I mean, at home in the hotel, watching tennis, I was surprised with the loss of Carlos Moya. The qualifier, he played great match. Karlovic lost. Kiefer just lost. So it was a couple of interesting matches, couple of upsets. So I think tomorrow, second day, we'll see some more.
Q. Do you think that helps you, though?
MARAT SAFIN: No, it's little bit too early to say, just talk about this. But just the draw, draw opens up. But basically I played my first match, there's still many matches to go so I'm trying to focus match by match. When I will have the opportunity to get a little bit closer to the final, then we'll talk about it. Just the first match.
Q. Do you often watch other people's matches when you're at home in the hotel?
MARAT SAFIN: No, just there is not really good TV, not really many channels to watch (laughter). So basically I have no other choice than to watch ‑‑ of course I'm doing because of love of tennis, that's for sure. But was interesting, was actually interesting match.
Q. What is it about Australia that brings out the best in you?
MARAT SAFIN: I find myself comfortable here for some reason. I feel good. The court suits me. I love the stadium. Like I said, surface. Great city, it's really great city, I have to admit. You feel like ‑‑ you are not really feeling that you are so far away from home. You can do a lot of stuff. You can go to a restaurant with your friends, you can enjoy it, and you basically have a good time. Once you have a good time in a place where you're playing, it helps you to play well.
M.Safin/B.Ulihrach 6‑4, 6‑1, 6‑3
Q. Aside from that first break of serve, was that pretty well as perfect as you could get it?
MARAT SAFIN: When he broke me in the first set? What do you mean?
Q. Yes, yes.
MARAT SAFIN: I was a little bit not feeling really comfortable on the court for some reason. Just was a mistake, this break. But then I got together everything and broke him back.
Q. Were you happy with the way you played?
MARAT SAFIN: No, was pretty good. He's a tough player because he's playing with quite flat. So it's little bit you have to be there. I did pretty good job. Also I lost to him ‑‑ we played only once and I lost to him. So was a little bit difficult. But just, you know, I got used to it very fast and I'm pretty happy.
Q. Do you remember any start better in a Grand Slam? >
MARAT SAFIN: I think this one is the best start.
Q. Why? Any reason? Surface is the best for you or...?
MARAT SAFIN: No, just because I'm playing well and not really long time of rest. But I did a good job in the preseason, work hard. I'm ready.
Also I get older a little bit. I have more experience so I know what to do. Always I was looking for a good start in every Grand Slam, but for some reason not enough experience I had to be able to do that by that time. You know, just I tried to be a little bit more focused what I'm doing, and it's working.
Q. How does this compare to last year when you had to play so many sets?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but last year was little bit different story because I didn't play for a long time and I was coming from the injury and I had a lot of time off. I was fresh, nothing to lose, no pressure whatsoever.
This year, it's little bit different story because we had very late ‑‑ we finish the year very late, like almost in December. So, you know, like and then we have only one month to do the preseason and to rest. So basically I didn't rest at all. So basically I'm continuing from the last year.
So now after Australian Open I will have to take a couple of weeks off because for some reason the officials, you know, the people who are running the tour, they don't consider, you know ‑‑ they don't want to make any changes for the players to rest more. So that's why you have to adapt yourself for that probably and continue with the year.
Q. This year you seem to be able to save more energy. You ease through matches.
MARAT SAFIN: Like I said, I have more experience, I'm getting older. I have a coach, he explains to me what I have to do. And I'm also learning, I been learning all my mistakes for a long time. Now is the time to take advantage of it. Once you know what's your strongest points and what's weak points, knowing this, it's little bit easier to choose the directions where you want to go.
Q. Did you get to see much of your sister's match on TV this morning?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, I saw pretty much everything.
Q. She lost today, obviously, but has her tennis improved a lot in the last year, do you think?
MARAT SAFIN: I don't think ‑‑ she has to make ‑‑ she has to make a lot of changes to be able to compete with all these kind of players like Amelie. We are talking about top players in the women's tour. And to be able to do that, she needs to have a character and she needs to be a little bit grown‑up woman.
Of course, she is little bit young, and I know everything everybody saying to her, she is still young, she has big future in front of her. But I'm sorry, if you don't really understand yourself what's going on, it's little bit difficult for somebody to fix it and explain it. Nobody going to tell her what to do; she has to decide for herself, you know. It's my duty to help her, but if she doesn't want to listen... (laughter).
So then we gonna have a lot of matches like this.
Q. How long did it take you to understand what you have to do?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but I'm sorry, with all the respect, you know, I achieved at age of 20, I been No. 1 in the world. At the age of 20 I won the Grand Slam. For some reason, I was 2 in the world, I finish the year 2 in the world, I finish the year 3 in the world, I finish the year 11 in the world and 4 in the world. I won 14 tournaments. Five of them is a Masters Series events, and a Grand Slam just for, you know...
If you look at my portfolio and other people, it's little bit different. So is not such a bad ‑‑ such bad career that I'm having. And two finals of a Grand Slam also. Sorry, I forgot (laughter).
Q. Davis Cup.
MARAT SAFIN: Davis Cup. Basically I'm having a pretty decent career of tennis. Of course, a lot of people would say, 'You could achieve much more,' but also I could not achieve anything.
Q. What changes does she have to make?
MARAT SAFIN: She has to grow up, you know, be a little bit responsible for the things that she is doing and the decisions that she is making. For some reason she cannot make any decisions; she needs somebody to, you know, explain her everything. It's little bit sad to watch this because I can see that she has a great potential. She has a game, but she doesn't have this character like Sharapova has and Kuznetsova, Dementieva, Myskina, all the Russian girls. They're great players. What they are good at is that they have a character of fighters, of wanting to achieve something.
Q. Any chance you two will play doubles on tour at some point? That's probably the best way for her to learn from you.
MARAT SAFIN: I don't think it's the best one. Also I'm not ‑‑ there is no more charity for my sister. She has to learn the hard way. I think it's the way that everybody understands, I guess.
Q. There's no hard feeling?
MARAT SAFIN: No hard feeling. Of course, she's my sister. She's my sister. It's just little bit sad to see, sit back and watch this, you know, the train pass. And then she has to run away when I told her already that 'Take this train, you know, like before it's gonna be too late.'
Q. You say you worked a lot preseason. What aspects of your game did you work on?
MARAT SAFIN: Little bit to improve ‑‑ every year we have to improve something because players, they get used to each other. Everybody knows what I'm capable of or Federer or Roddick. And every year you have to bring something new, you have to bring something new, you have to improve something.
Of course, it's serve. Of course, it's a volley, the movement on the court because the game is become faster and faster each time, more physical. So just pretty much everything. Just try to be as, how would say, not to have any ups and downs, be equal during all the year, try to keep this ‑ I don't know ‑ for 30 weeks.
Q. Can you give us a quick preview about your next match.
MARAT SAFIN: I never play against him. I practice a couple of times. Good player. Good serve. He can play from the baseline. He has a volley. He beat one year Federer in Wimbledon.
So I guess ‑‑ and he's playing well if he beat in three sets Bjorn Phau. He must be in pretty good shape. But we'll see. We'll see how he play against me, how he gonna start.
SAFIN/M. Ancic 6‑4, 3‑6, 6‑3, 6‑4
Q. Did you have a problem with your ankle?
MARAT SAFIN: No, no, it's okay. I was all right.
Q. Did it all go according to plan before the match? Was it easier than you expected or maybe...?
MARAT SAFIN: No, I expect from him that he gonna play this kind of tennis. It's very, very difficult to find the game and to have a tactic against these kind of players. You just have to hang in there and wait for your opportunities and just take them whenever they come. Because he's the kind of player that he's quite complete, you know, and his goal is to get there, you know, to play a little bit, to be able to play from the baseline, good volleys and good serve.
So you just keep on waiting.
Q. Did you feel as sharp as you did in your first two matches when you won pretty easily?
MARAT SAFIN: It's a little bit different kind of matches because I didn't play against these kind of players with the big serve and going for the shots. So it was a little bit more difficult than the previous matches.
Because he was there, and he felt that he has a chance to win. So that's why I have to be a little bit careful and he had a chance in the third set to break me. He's a tough player.
Q. Can you take us through exactly what happened? Did you trip or stumble? What happened at the end of that third game? Did you twist your...?
MARAT SAFIN: Which game?
Q. When you fell over.
MARAT SAFIN: Oh, just I have a lot of problems with this ankle. I had like many ‑‑ happens many times before. So it was one more time, and already I have to take care of it properly because I've been taping it for the last two years and sometimes it really helps but it doesn't really, you know ‑‑ I don't feel really comfortable moving to the right side. I need to work on that.
Q. Did you ask the trainer to come out as a precaution, or did you actually feel fine?
MARAT SAFIN: No, because I wanted to be a little bit more safer, so to tape it a little bit more and give me some pills, painkillers, because at the moment it was really painful.
Q. Did it bother you after that?
MARAT SAFIN: No, not really. But just it give me little bit of ‑‑ took all the pressure a little bit from me in the match because I was a little bit uptight. But when it happened, when I twist my ankle, just kind of stop a little bit thinking about the way I'm playing. And I played quite good game afterwards.
Q. So the next couple of days, when you wake up tomorrow, will it be swollen?
MARAT SAFIN: It wasn't so badly because I've been taped. If I will play without tape, it will be much worse. But it was good that I'm taping it. But it will be okay.
Q. So ankles notwithstanding, how do you sense you're feeling now compared to if you think back this time last year when you got through that first week and you hadn't played a lot of tennis beforehand, what's the difference in your game and the way you are he feeling out there?
MARAT SAFIN: I'm much more comfortable right now than I was last year because I had a lot of tough matches in the first week. This week is a little bit easier. I'm little bit ‑‑ I'm playing a little bit smarter, and I'm just trying to save my time on the court and try to be focused from the first point and try to keep it short. Whenever I have the opportunity, just go, just keep it, and just keep it as short as I can because it's a long tournament and there is no need to waste the energy on something that you don't have to.
Q. Because you're feeling good, do you find yourself looking ahead and seeing how Roger is going?
MARAT SAFIN: It's a little bit still too far. I mean, of course in back of your mind you're still thinking little bit further than the third round or fourth round.
But still, is lot of great players like Ancic in the third round. It's a tough opponent and you have to win this type of match. Also know that the next match is going to be even tougher because I'm going to play against Rochus, and he's tough opponent. Also a little bit I cannot think too far ahead, but still I'm considering what other players are doing. Just, you know, it's interesting.
Q. How do you keep yourself from putting too much pressure on yourself to do as well as you did last year? You're sometimes hard on yourself.
MARAT SAFIN: Not anymore. Not anymore. I have nothing to ‑‑ basically, I have to be little bit more selfish. I'm going there, I'm try to give all my best. If it doesn't go my way, then there's nothing I can do about it. You cannot be hard on yourself. It's already enough to play against the opponent that he is trying to beat you. And also if you go under circumstances that they are losing it, so you can't be hard on yourself. Just try to be positive. If it doesn't go your way, so what are you going to do? Can't fight it.
Q. Is getting smarter a matter of naturally maturing; you can feel yourself getting smarter?
MARAT SAFIN: I'm getting older. I'm getting older. Soon I am going to be a quarter of a century in this world. That's a big number (smiling).
No, but gonna be my seventh year. At least I have to learn something. Years and years, and after years you learn something here.
Q. You are much more calm and collected than you used to be. It seems crowds prefer seeing you get angry. They yell, "Get angry!" Something like that (laughter). Perhaps you should smash a ceremonial racquet after each match to make people happy.
MARAT SAFIN: Okay, I will (laughter). It will come soon. If you're asking me for it, I will do it (laughter).
But I'm saving myself. I'm trying to save myself as long as I can, try to keep myself calm on the court also because against these kind of players, like Ancic, you go crazy and you might never come back because he's already be on the tour, he knows how to play and he's a tough opponent. He will feel straightaway the time a little bit I'm not there, so he will take his opportunity and he will just ‑‑ he can win this match.
So basically I'm trying and I'm saving my energy, my power, try to stay calm and think properly what I have to do to beat him.
Q. Are you a superstitious guy? Do you go to the same restaurants before you play, same shower?
MARAT SAFIN: No.
Q. No, never?
MARAT SAFIN: No.
Q. Did you used to?
MARAT SAFIN: Not really.
Q. Is it difficult always to have almost like justify to yourself like people are judging you on your previous behavior? Is it kind of hard to go back, because obviously you moved a little bit forward it seems?
MARAT SAFIN: It's little bit ‑‑ but it's my past. Just it was me. It's difficult, of course. If you will not behave that way back then, I will not be here. So for some reason, everything what happened to me before, I consider it should to be this way ‑‑ it should be this way. That's who I am. It's little bit difficult, you know, to take ‑‑ if somebody's judging you and saying if it's not correct, it's not right, you should do like this and you should behave this way, of course you have to improve in a better way. But also you have to pass through this stage.
I think just I passed it and I'm much calmer. And to get to this point where I am right now, a little bit calmer than I used to be before, is because I had enough a little bit. I also see myself and I also speak to the people and that's why I have a coach. So he's little bit trying to show me the way, the shortcut. I don't have to run around to get to the same point.
Q. Would you like to draw a line on the past?
MARAT SAFIN: It's okay. It's my past. I have to live with that. It wasn't so bad (smile).
Q. More fun the other way?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, I consider that I have nothing ‑‑ I don't regret anything what I did before, nothing, zero, because it had to happen to be here. If it would be different way, I might not be here at all.
Q. Did you spend time in Moscow over the break? I know you went from Houston to Caribbean. Did you go home?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. Not for long, though. For one day.
Q. Do you just sense a mood that from the tennis‑following people in Moscow that maybe the girls are now bigger in the national perception than the guys are?
MARAT SAFIN: They are. But it doesn't make any wakeup call to the guys, you know, to the Juniors. Doesn't get there. They don't get it. We don't have any ‑‑ it's just sad to see that way, you know, the girls are little bit ‑‑ which is I am happy for them, they are doing so well. But also it should be a wakeup call for the guys, for the upcoming guys, to see what's going on. They have to at least try to give themselves a chance, but they don't do it. They choose the easier way, you know, like easy life for some reason, I don't know why.
Q. When you say "the girls," is it all the girls? What is the perception of Sharapova in Moscow?
MARAT SAFIN: She's not ‑‑ I don't know. But in my opinion ‑ it's my opinion, I don't know ‑ but she doesn't spend much time there so it's little bit difficult to judge a person who doesn't really ‑‑ Russian people doesn't really know her back there in Russia.
So is little bit ‑‑ for example, Myskina, Dementieva, they spend much more time there, so the people get to know them so at least they can give an opinion about them. But about Sharapova, nobody sees. She lives in the States, as I'm concerned.
Q. Are you maybe suggesting she's not as Russian as the other girls?
MARAT SAFIN: I am not saying anything (laughter). That's a good one, but, no, sorry (smiling).
Q. I mean, you left the country pretty much when you were about 14. Kuznetsova did as well. You're not there full‑time.
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but I'm spending enough time there. I had to go outside of Russia, but I came back. So it's not like I left the country, I never came back. I consider myself Russian. Of course, I spending most of my basically youth, second part of my youth, in Spain.
But I'm still ‑‑ I'm back there because for some reason I wanted to come back always because I felt really that's my home.
Q. Did your sister react after what you said?
MARAT SAFIN: I didn't speak to her yet.
It's okay. Women are very delicate people so (laughter)... It takes a little bit of time, you know, for them to calm down and really to think properly because they go with emotions, but then they use the head.
Q. Is your mum here?
MARAT SAFIN: No, she's not. Two women is too much for me (laughter).
Q. How do you feel about playing Olivier Rochus next?
MARAT SAFIN: Tough one. I really admire him. I know him since long time, since 14. And the way he plays, he is such a talented, it's really nice to watch. He's a difficult opponent. I lost to him one time. He had some great results. He beat Moya in the US Open. He can play great tennis. He beat here Kiefer in the first round. He made it to the fourth round. So he must be playing well.
He's really tough to beat. Even that he is not really, as everybody would say, he's not so tall but he's very dangerous. He's really dangerous and he has the all talent in the world.
Q. Because he's not so tall, does that make him more dangerous?
MARAT SAFIN: You ask me the same question, you know that. Come on.
Q. Does it make him more dangerous, the fact that he isn't tall, he has other weapons, no?
MARAT SAFIN: Of course. Of course. He moves incredibly well on the court. He has anticipation. He has a great eye, great hands. So basically he's very good.
Q. What's the most memorable match you played against him?
MARAT SAFIN: It's difficult. I never enjoy to play against him, actually. Monte‑Carlo last year I think was a great match. He wasn't playing well before, he was struggling for a couple of weeks because we been talking before, right before Monte‑Carlo, with him just about he complain he didn't win a match in five weeks. And we had to play the first round of Monte‑Carlo. Three sets, tough sets.
Q. Is there any chance that you will be like Agassi, like from 20 to 25 it's up and down, unpredictable...
MARAT SAFIN: I pray for this. I really pray for this (laughter). I really, I really hope so. Thank you (laughter).
Q. Do you think maybe at 29 all of a sudden you'll become serious, like a machine like Agassi?
MARAT SAFIN: Not too serious. Come on. Life you cannot take too serious. It's just a sport, at the end of the day. It's just a sport that we love to be here and to enjoy it. It's just a sport.
Q. You think you'll be playing at 34?
MARAT SAFIN: I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow. You asking me if I'm gonna play until 34 (laughter).
Отредактировано Sena (2005-01-23 22:56:18)
