Post by Annie on Apr 11, 2008 11:31:41 GMT 3
Marat Safin: "I DON’T LIKE IT WHEN THE FANS START TEACHING ME HOW TO PLAY"
As unpredictable as he is on court, he can be unpredictable during the interview. Sometimes during a conversation you can easily turn from an interviewer to an interviewee. But this makes talking to Safin even more interesting. We met up with him on Wednesday in Luzhniki just before training, at that moment he still had no idea whether he’ll make the team or not.
About views
- To be honest with you when in February I was trying to climb Kilimanjaro I thought about you and your trip to the Himalayas last year. It was really tough for me out there. How did you feel?
- I’ve been asked about the mountains hundreds and thousands of times... There is no point bringing it up again now. Everyone has his or her own things. I wanted to climb that mountain so I went.
- But still what’s more difficult: climbing a mountain or playing tennis?
- When you climb a mountain noone pays you money to do so, you just do whatever you want. I play tennis because it’s my job. Of course there are certain advantages and pleasantries in that, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it now.
- Everyone says that before the start of the new season you worked like a dog. The season has started but the outcome is still zero. Do you think a breakthrough is yet to come? All tht effort can’t just go down the drain, can it?
- Right now I am at a stage in my life when I simply enjoy the process of playing tennis. I don’t care whether I have the results or I don’t. The process is what counts. Whether it works out or not – that’s a totally different thing. I have achieved everything I have ever wanted it tennis. The burden and pressure have fallen off so to speak, so to expect anything… So it won’t work out…and? Nothing will change for me personally.
- Currently there are more defeats than victories. Does it effect you in any way?
- Americans, Englishmen, you, everyone asks the same questions: «Are you tired? Are you going to retire?”
- That’s not what I am talking about. I mean how do you deal with defeats?
- I have been in professional tour for ten years already. What and who have I got anything to prove to? I am looking at tennis from a totally different perspective now.
- If you were defeated in the first round of a tournament, is it hard to force yourself to come out on court in the next one?
- Once again, all emotions are so put back aside that my reaction is totally different.
- How did your views on the game change?
- I look at everything from a totally different angle now. My eyes opened to some new things. You understand that tennis is just a part of your life. Isn’t it ridiculous to evolve your life around going to bed at 10 pm and getting up at 8 am, having breakfast constantly thinking about what you are eating in order to train properly?! Life is too short to be getting into a loop and staying there.
- So how does life collaborate with tennis now?
- Perfectly! I enjoy what I do plus I have the time to enjoy other things I like doing.
- Is there a chance anything new could sweep you off your feet and suck you in like tennis did once upon a time?
- I am happy the way it is now. Happy that I am alive, that I have friends. I have nothing to prove for self-affirmation.
- No, not in the sense to prove anything. Some people get a dog for example, and are happy, take it around with them all the time…
- What?! Get those tiny rat-lookalike dogs whom nobody needs and wants? Travel everywhere with them just because you’re bored out of your mind? It means a person is so not well that is starting to lose it due to loneliness. And he gets a dog simply because he has no friends. Just think about how boring and sad it is.
- So despite tons of traveling you have friends?
- Well not friends on the tour but in Moscow. I have enough here, plus I have quite a few good acquaintances so all is well on that front touchwood.
About the Coach
- So where do you spend most of your time now?
- At tournaments, as always.
- What about free time?
- If I have things to take care of in Moscow, I come here, if not – I go to Spain. Now I am going away for two month and in between tournaments I’ll stay in Spain.
- Hernan Gumy started coaching you this season? So what has he given you so far?
- The most important thing I need from him is to keep me motivated. I need a man next to me who won’t force me to train but who would wake up the desire to train within me. Plus we need to get along on a personal level since he travels to tournaments with me.
- Why isn’t he in Moscow right now?
- He couldn’t be here for family reasons. His wife is due to give birth any day.
- How did you get together?
- We have known each other for a while, he was a player. Then he worked with Canas, Guerten. He is a good expert. In other words we talked and made a deal.
About fans
- When you play Davis Cup matches, you play with such fiery and passion that fans worship you. Is reaction like that important to you?
- Support is always great, especially when I play in Moscow. Friends, familiar faces everywhere. It gives me pleasure to play in front of them.
- Do you feel extra vibes that motivate you?
- Are you trying to make me think that?
- What for? I was just thinking about your performance in the final against Argentina. Superb!
- So what? You wanna hear that when I play for the team I have some special motivation? No, I don’t! I just want to win. It works better at home probably. But getting extra motivation, flying around the court and all that…no, I am sorry.
- If you don’t make the team right now, for you it will be...
- ...It will be nothing. A few additional days of rest.
- When you play at tournaments outside Moscow, are there still a lot of fans supporting you?
- People are still coming to watch, yeah.
- Are there such fans who travel the world after you?
- Thank God there are no sick people like that, no (LMFAO little does he know!!!!).
- Sometimes you can be rather harsh in your reaction to supporters…
- Some of them think that they know more about tennis than I do. And they start teaching me. Start telling you what to do. I ask them not to but they just keep telling me that I don’t understand and keep going. Not everyone can take that kind of crap!
About injuries
- How long did your injuries shorten your career for?
- I lost three years or maybe a bit more due to injuries. However, I had such small chances of playing tennis professionally in the first place and the fact that I did it is already a great achievement.
- What do you mean – small chances?
- Just think back to the beginning of 90s, which was the time of my formation. God knows what was happening in the country, total chaos and lack of money. Somehow people seem to forget about it even though it wasn’t that long ago. Back in those days I was very close to going and working somewhere as a coach. I was much closer to that than to sitting here and giving you an interview to be honest.
- If you compare yourself to other top players, did you have more injuries than them?
- As far as I know Federer and Roddickhave hardly had any serious injuries. Zhenya Kafelnikov didn’t really suffer from them either. Some people recovered much quicker than I did. After my knee injury it used to hurt and bother me for about two years after.
- How would explain the fact that Federer started losing more and hardly gets higher than quarterfinals these days?
- Before everyone used to grumble that it’s boring that Federer wins everything and beats everyone. Now he started losing and everyone is asking what’s wrong with him. Everyone wants things that are not here presently. Whatever is happening is am absolutely natural process. Just imagine: for four years in a row he has been beating everyone! Of course, he is tired, maybe his motivation is not the same anymore. He is kind of not that keen anymore. I understand him perfectly well.
- On the other hand Djokovic is reaching a new high, Nadal is still out there. What do you think they are capable of this year?
- It’s still all new for Djokovic, he is hungry and that’s why such a rise. I think he is pretty capable of finishing the season as a number one. Nadal is stable but it’s very hard for him, he’s got bandages all over, his health is not all that good.
- How do you rate Davydenko’s win in Miami?
- Kolya started very shaky, then caught his confidence and managed to win. But you know, it was all so unstable… Just two – three matches could have decided the destiny of the whole tournament, that’s what happened and Kolya won.
About Olympics
- Have you thought about going to the Olympics?
- We have to stay alive until then.
- If you don’t manage to get into singles, would you play doubles?
- No, I won’t go to Beijing just for the doubles. The traveling is too complicated. I will be in the States for two weeks before that, then going to China to play doubles and then back to America…No, I won’t be able to survive..
- Clay season is approaching. Do you like it or are you more comfortable on hard surfaces?
- I feel comfortable on both surfaces so a lot would depend on the draw.
- Where are you playing next?
- Valencia and Monte Carlo.
Elena Rerikh
www.sport-express.ru/art.shtml?157228
As unpredictable as he is on court, he can be unpredictable during the interview. Sometimes during a conversation you can easily turn from an interviewer to an interviewee. But this makes talking to Safin even more interesting. We met up with him on Wednesday in Luzhniki just before training, at that moment he still had no idea whether he’ll make the team or not.
About views
- To be honest with you when in February I was trying to climb Kilimanjaro I thought about you and your trip to the Himalayas last year. It was really tough for me out there. How did you feel?
- I’ve been asked about the mountains hundreds and thousands of times... There is no point bringing it up again now. Everyone has his or her own things. I wanted to climb that mountain so I went.
- But still what’s more difficult: climbing a mountain or playing tennis?
- When you climb a mountain noone pays you money to do so, you just do whatever you want. I play tennis because it’s my job. Of course there are certain advantages and pleasantries in that, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it now.
- Everyone says that before the start of the new season you worked like a dog. The season has started but the outcome is still zero. Do you think a breakthrough is yet to come? All tht effort can’t just go down the drain, can it?
- Right now I am at a stage in my life when I simply enjoy the process of playing tennis. I don’t care whether I have the results or I don’t. The process is what counts. Whether it works out or not – that’s a totally different thing. I have achieved everything I have ever wanted it tennis. The burden and pressure have fallen off so to speak, so to expect anything… So it won’t work out…and? Nothing will change for me personally.
- Currently there are more defeats than victories. Does it effect you in any way?
- Americans, Englishmen, you, everyone asks the same questions: «Are you tired? Are you going to retire?”
- That’s not what I am talking about. I mean how do you deal with defeats?
- I have been in professional tour for ten years already. What and who have I got anything to prove to? I am looking at tennis from a totally different perspective now.
- If you were defeated in the first round of a tournament, is it hard to force yourself to come out on court in the next one?
- Once again, all emotions are so put back aside that my reaction is totally different.
- How did your views on the game change?
- I look at everything from a totally different angle now. My eyes opened to some new things. You understand that tennis is just a part of your life. Isn’t it ridiculous to evolve your life around going to bed at 10 pm and getting up at 8 am, having breakfast constantly thinking about what you are eating in order to train properly?! Life is too short to be getting into a loop and staying there.
- So how does life collaborate with tennis now?
- Perfectly! I enjoy what I do plus I have the time to enjoy other things I like doing.
- Is there a chance anything new could sweep you off your feet and suck you in like tennis did once upon a time?
- I am happy the way it is now. Happy that I am alive, that I have friends. I have nothing to prove for self-affirmation.
- No, not in the sense to prove anything. Some people get a dog for example, and are happy, take it around with them all the time…
- What?! Get those tiny rat-lookalike dogs whom nobody needs and wants? Travel everywhere with them just because you’re bored out of your mind? It means a person is so not well that is starting to lose it due to loneliness. And he gets a dog simply because he has no friends. Just think about how boring and sad it is.
- So despite tons of traveling you have friends?
- Well not friends on the tour but in Moscow. I have enough here, plus I have quite a few good acquaintances so all is well on that front touchwood.
About the Coach
- So where do you spend most of your time now?
- At tournaments, as always.
- What about free time?
- If I have things to take care of in Moscow, I come here, if not – I go to Spain. Now I am going away for two month and in between tournaments I’ll stay in Spain.
- Hernan Gumy started coaching you this season? So what has he given you so far?
- The most important thing I need from him is to keep me motivated. I need a man next to me who won’t force me to train but who would wake up the desire to train within me. Plus we need to get along on a personal level since he travels to tournaments with me.
- Why isn’t he in Moscow right now?
- He couldn’t be here for family reasons. His wife is due to give birth any day.
- How did you get together?
- We have known each other for a while, he was a player. Then he worked with Canas, Guerten. He is a good expert. In other words we talked and made a deal.
About fans
- When you play Davis Cup matches, you play with such fiery and passion that fans worship you. Is reaction like that important to you?
- Support is always great, especially when I play in Moscow. Friends, familiar faces everywhere. It gives me pleasure to play in front of them.
- Do you feel extra vibes that motivate you?
- Are you trying to make me think that?
- What for? I was just thinking about your performance in the final against Argentina. Superb!
- So what? You wanna hear that when I play for the team I have some special motivation? No, I don’t! I just want to win. It works better at home probably. But getting extra motivation, flying around the court and all that…no, I am sorry.
- If you don’t make the team right now, for you it will be...
- ...It will be nothing. A few additional days of rest.
- When you play at tournaments outside Moscow, are there still a lot of fans supporting you?
- People are still coming to watch, yeah.
- Are there such fans who travel the world after you?
- Thank God there are no sick people like that, no (LMFAO little does he know!!!!).
- Sometimes you can be rather harsh in your reaction to supporters…
- Some of them think that they know more about tennis than I do. And they start teaching me. Start telling you what to do. I ask them not to but they just keep telling me that I don’t understand and keep going. Not everyone can take that kind of crap!
About injuries
- How long did your injuries shorten your career for?
- I lost three years or maybe a bit more due to injuries. However, I had such small chances of playing tennis professionally in the first place and the fact that I did it is already a great achievement.
- What do you mean – small chances?
- Just think back to the beginning of 90s, which was the time of my formation. God knows what was happening in the country, total chaos and lack of money. Somehow people seem to forget about it even though it wasn’t that long ago. Back in those days I was very close to going and working somewhere as a coach. I was much closer to that than to sitting here and giving you an interview to be honest.
- If you compare yourself to other top players, did you have more injuries than them?
- As far as I know Federer and Roddickhave hardly had any serious injuries. Zhenya Kafelnikov didn’t really suffer from them either. Some people recovered much quicker than I did. After my knee injury it used to hurt and bother me for about two years after.
- How would explain the fact that Federer started losing more and hardly gets higher than quarterfinals these days?
- Before everyone used to grumble that it’s boring that Federer wins everything and beats everyone. Now he started losing and everyone is asking what’s wrong with him. Everyone wants things that are not here presently. Whatever is happening is am absolutely natural process. Just imagine: for four years in a row he has been beating everyone! Of course, he is tired, maybe his motivation is not the same anymore. He is kind of not that keen anymore. I understand him perfectly well.
- On the other hand Djokovic is reaching a new high, Nadal is still out there. What do you think they are capable of this year?
- It’s still all new for Djokovic, he is hungry and that’s why such a rise. I think he is pretty capable of finishing the season as a number one. Nadal is stable but it’s very hard for him, he’s got bandages all over, his health is not all that good.
- How do you rate Davydenko’s win in Miami?
- Kolya started very shaky, then caught his confidence and managed to win. But you know, it was all so unstable… Just two – three matches could have decided the destiny of the whole tournament, that’s what happened and Kolya won.
About Olympics
- Have you thought about going to the Olympics?
- We have to stay alive until then.
- If you don’t manage to get into singles, would you play doubles?
- No, I won’t go to Beijing just for the doubles. The traveling is too complicated. I will be in the States for two weeks before that, then going to China to play doubles and then back to America…No, I won’t be able to survive..
- Clay season is approaching. Do you like it or are you more comfortable on hard surfaces?
- I feel comfortable on both surfaces so a lot would depend on the draw.
- Where are you playing next?
- Valencia and Monte Carlo.
Elena Rerikh
www.sport-express.ru/art.shtml?157228
