Post by lau on Dec 9, 2005 15:55:08 GMT 3
If you plan on posting this somewhere else please be sure to make reference to TGFR for the translation. Thank you.
“Las provincias digital” online newspaper
www.lasprovincias.es/valencia/edicion/
Thursday 8th December 2005
Marat Safin, ex number 1
J. AGUADÉ/VALENCIA
“I hope my sister doesn´t copy my life style, she´s a woman”
The tennis player is recovering from his knee injury. He talks about his “life philosophy”, his love for the city and how hard his profession can be.
-You´re one more time in Valencia, and there are...
- ....many years. Since I came in 1994 and was the first russian that trained in Valencia. Everytime I can I come to see the people of Tennisval, because our relation is very good and is a long one. It´s a pleasure being with them because they didn´t change.
- You left some years ago but, why do you always come back?
Because it´s a very good place. Here the weather is mild, the food and drinks are very good. I find myself comfortable here. In addition to that, if I come here I allways have the opportunity to train with very good people like Ferrer, Calatrava or Andreev.
- Were do you live now?
- In Montecarlo, although I spend a lot of time in Moscow and I come to Valencia. But with the tour “movement” I don´t have much time to spend with my friends
- Do you have a house here in Valencia?
- No, I no longer have anything here in Valencia.
- When you see what happends in Tennisval, with almost thirty russian players trainning with Altur and Alvariño, do you feel like an “initiator”?
- A lot of people come here because you can work very well and the standard of life is much cheaper than in United States or Germany. And ¡see by yourself!, we`re in December and we`re talking in the street.
- Could it be said this is the worst injury related moment of your career?
- It´s very sad being so much time injured and out of the courts. The most important thing for a tennis player is being healthy and I`m a little sad because I`ve been injured for four months. I have a lot of weight work to do and I`ll try to arrive to Australia, where I defend a title, in a good physical moment.
-What´s the problem with injuries in tennis?
- I think the ATP should take care of the players. There can´t be a calendar like the one we have now. Tenis is suffering right now, and there are lot of injuries.
- Is it difficult to keep up with the trainning and work rythm that the tour demands?
- Hombre (lol I can´t translate this, it´s an expression...), it is not necessary to dramatize so much. I think I obtained everything I need in this life. I won two Grand Slams, I played two finals, I won a Davis Cup, in adittion to 15 titles. I can´t complain. It´s not bad at all for being 25 years old.
- You talk like a retired player would.
- No, but I can´t ask for nothing more. I think I have 4 or 5 years more of tennis before going home.
- You look very satisfied with yourself and your career.
- The most important thing is that after eight years of career, being allways in the top 100 you know what you need. You feel well with yourself and now what I try is doing things well and not having to regret anything.
- Right now you have the coach that made Federer big. What do you think of the Swiss tennis player?
- He`s the best tennis player ever. He`s better than McEnroe, Lendl, Sampras, Agassi. He has got the best of all of them and he`s even a little better. He`s made to play tennis.
- Is your hedonistic philosophy compatible with professional sport?
- Yes. What you need is a balance between what you have and what your priorities are. I have mine and the truth is I have a good time (this last sentence is not exact, but pretty similar)
- When people talk about your career it is said it´s irregular. Maybe what happends is that when you`re down you`re in one of those moments with priorities outside tennis...
- No, you allways try to be on top, but sometimes your legs don´t work. But I want to make clear that I allways want to win because I`m payed for that and I want to have more money.
- Your sister speak very similar to you about being happy, did you “teach” (this is not the word..., sorry) her your life philosophy?
- I hope she doesn´t copy my life style (starts to smile), because she´s a woman...
- (the laughter is contagious) ¿...?
- Don´t carry on with that question... (sentences with a smile and a light tap/slap. Safin in essence.)
original link (in spanish)
