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Post by Annie on Jun 25, 2008 19:11:59 GMT 3
Well done Marat ;D I was close to collapsing in front of the scoreboard at work and to be honest I still cannot completely believe it ;D I am looking forward to watching the replay ;D Congrats Marat  arvind, seriously mate... I know you are young and haven't been there as long as some of us have, but please cut it out...semifinal against Federer? Seppi easy? Let's just take it one step at a time, I'll be happy if your predictions come true, but please I have learned enough from being his supporter - and one thing to learn for sure is you can never be sure in anything when Marat is concerned.... |
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Post by arvind13 on Jun 25, 2008 19:12:55 GMT 3
all i'm saying is that all things are possible when it comes to Marat
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Post by arvind13 on Jun 25, 2008 19:13:53 GMT 3
he could lose next match to seppi 0-6, 0-6, 0-6 OR he could win all four majors next year in a calender year grand slam
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Post by maryb on Jun 25, 2008 19:16:01 GMT 3
Have opted for a quiet recovery session at the practice courts. Bambi ain't on yet - women's singles match still playing. Will nip back later. Annie, do you believe in fairies now? LMAO. Looking forward to seeing the match - Denise is going to copy it for me. She got her magical birthday pressie after all!
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Post by Patxy on Jun 25, 2008 20:11:13 GMT 3
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Post by maryb on Jun 25, 2008 20:11:55 GMT 3
Too much excitement for one day for me. Have decided I'll go back to the hotel, watch the highlights (God forbid I have to sit and watch Ana again ...) and then the footie! Is it Russia v Spain tonight?
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Post by Alya10 on Jun 25, 2008 20:36:19 GMT 3
Too much excitement for one day for me. Have decided I'll go back to the hotel, watch the highlights (God forbid I have to sit and watch Ana again ...) and then the footie! Is it Russia v Spain tonight? Enjoy the evening Mary  We want you and the fairy dust rested for Friday, lol Is it Euro Semis today? Man I've been remiss... |
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Post by lena on Jun 25, 2008 20:44:18 GMT 3
Too much excitement for one day for me. Have decided I'll go back to the hotel, watch the highlights (God forbid I have to sit and watch Ana again ...) and then the footie! Is it Russia v Spain tonight? Enjoy the evening Mary We want you and the fairy dust rested for Friday, lol Is it Euro Semis today? Man I've been remiss... have a nice footie evening marry and yes it is SEMI Bratwurtst vs. Döner (Germany vs. Turkey)  AND Marat : will see you in the final somewhere somehow.........  ;D ;D ;D |
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Post by justsafin on Jun 25, 2008 21:02:17 GMT 3
M. SAFIN bt N. Djokovic 6-4, 7-6, 6-2
An interview with: MARAT SAFIN
THE MODERATOR: Questions for Marat.
Q. Did you start to become a grass court player suddenly?
MARAT SAFIN: By winning one match?
Q. An important match.
MARAT SAFIN: For me it was important, but also I took advantage that he was under a lot of pressure because he's fighting for No. 1. So I need to take advantage of that.
Q. How did you play?
MARAT SAFIN: I played well because I think the courts, they has been getting slower and slower throughout the years. So it's not any more like they used to be like eight years ago. It was really fast, and now you can play from the baseline and nobody even getting close to the net.
Q. So you're not surprised by yourself?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, I just had to do what I had to do: serve well and try to stay with him. And also he didn't impress me with his game today. I could read his serve. I could return. I could stay with him from the baseline, and that's it.
Q. How would you rate your game today on a scale of 1 to 10?
MARAT SAFIN: I mean, it's tough. I didn't play great for a long time. I don't remember how does it feel.
I would say I played solid.
Q. Is it a 5 or 8?
MARAT SAFIN: I hope I can play better than that.
Q. When was the last time you played that well?
MARAT SAFIN: Long time ago. I don't even remember. Long time ago.
Q. Novak said it was a case of him playing badly rather than you playing well. Would you agree with that?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, well, he's a nice guy, a great answerer and great for you guys. I think he scored some points over there by saying that, yeah, he played well and everything.
But he had small chances. He didn't take them. Whenever I had a chance I went for it, and I just played, like I said, solid, took my chances.
Q. When you walked off, the BBC man asked you about your next opponent. You implied you didn't expect to get past Djokovic, and you didn't know who you were going to play next. Is that right?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, true. But if you have a second round against Djokovic, the guy won the Australian Open, semifinals of French Open, winning the tournaments left and right. You play against him, and the last time I won two matches in a row was I don't remember when. So what do you expect? Of course that you are not really in a position to look anything after the second round.
Q. What do you remember of the things you've said about Wimbledon last year and in the recent past, and how do you feel about Wimbledon now?
MARAT SAFIN: What did I say? The strawberries are too expensive. It's true. They don't have enough for dessert. It's true. Only the coach is allowed to come in the locker room is also true. Because some physios, they cannot come inside the locker room. I'm not complaining about that.
I was right I think in what I said. I didn't make any lies, so I think I was right there.
Q. What do you like the most about Wimbledon, and what do you dislike the most about Wimbledon?
MARAT SAFIN: Thanks for the people to make the courts slower.
Q. Novak said when you played in Australia 2005...
MARAT SAFIN: He still remembers that?
Q. Yes. He said he had great respect for you because he practiced with you as a junior. He said today it might have been a factor in this match that he had too much respect for you.
MARAT SAFIN: That's good to know. Thank you.
Q. Do you think?
MARAT SAFIN: I hope so. I'm still older than him. I hope it will stay the same way and he'll have the same respect to me as he had three years ago. It works for me.
Q. You looked very fit today. Do you think was this the key to play at this level?
MARAT SAFIN: I'm fit since November last year, but it doesn't really help me to make any results earlier in this year. So just I came out actually in the middle of the year, which is surprisingly -- I'm surprisingly happy that finally I came, because I started to get a little bit desperate because I've been working really hard week after week, practicing and putting myself together.
The results are not coming, not coming. You need to be really strong mentally to continue to play this game.
Q. You expected to be back in Russia tonight?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. There is a flight at 8:30 leaving every evening, so I was almost there.
Q. Have you booked another flight, or not till a week on Monday?
MARAT SAFIN: There is a flight every day. 8:30, arrive at 4:00 in the morning in Moscow. Everything is under control.
Q. You had a ticket for this flight?
MARAT SAFIN: It's one phone call.
Q. We see Russia is doing well in the football at the moment at the European Championships. What does it say for Russia?
MARAT SAFIN: I try to keep up. The guys are surprising me in soccer. I never expect them to play such a great soccer, aggressive, playing unbelievable game. Now we're the favorites to win the European Championship. With the game they're playing right now, they should. They deserve to win.
Q. How have you managed to keep faith in yourself? You're working hard, going out, playing matches, wins aren't coming, month after month. You get on court today against arguably has been the best player of the year and showed some pretty good stuff.
MARAT SAFIN: Well, but just you need to have a little bit of commitment with yourself, you know, try to set some goals. You cannot just drop it in the middle of the year. After three months if the results are not coming, I think you should give yourself a chance, you know, and try more.
Because also it's a little bit sad to see other people winning and working only the half part of the time that I'm doing, that I've been spending on the court lately. I've been working unbelievably hard, unbelievable pre-season. Even though the results are not coming the beginning of the season, I was losing left and right.
Still I'm going to the gym and still doing my things. I think it's time for results to come. And I think just it's -- of course, it's tough. Of course it's tough to push yourself day after day when you are losing and you are losing and you are losing, get back on the court, get back in the gym and do your routine.
Q. I was expecting you to be at Roland Garros for your sister's final.
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, she didn't send me the charter. That's why I didn't come.
Q. Is this the kind of result that would keep you on the tour? Is this the sort of victory you need?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, of course, these victories are always welcome because you've been working really hard for that. Results, especially when you are not really in the best shape and this result is coming to you, you need to take advantage of it, take the most of it, enjoy it, and use the advantage that other people, they saw the match and they started to respect you.
You are full of confidence by playing well. It's not like you played terrible tennis. You did your stuff, you're serving well, and you just look forward and just go for it as far as we can and take advantage of the confidence that you got from this match.
Q. If you play on the Centre Court like today, it's like the place you feel you belong to?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but you need to go through the stages. I played on Court 11, which is almost in another club. But still you need to go through these kind of matches to be able to play on the Centre Court. I think my ranking drop, so where you expect me to play? I'm 75 in the world and I'm playing against the Italian guy. Actually, not many people they care about this match. Actually, I was surprised it was a full stadium on Court 11.
So these matches you need to get through. Even though they're tough, everybody's nervous, the other guy is playing well. You don't have any challenges there, the Hawk-Eye. The chair umpire may be half sleeping, but you need to get through these matches to be able to perform well and have a chance on the Centre Court.
Q. Against Seppi, next match, you have to play on a small court. What do you think about your opponent?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, I don't mind to play the third round on a smaller court, you know. I don't think we're gonna be playing on Aorangi, I hope. This for me is not the worst case. I think I played all over the places. I played in really terrible places, so it doesn't really matter.
It's the third round. Still playing great tennis. I played really well, and I'm looking forward to get through the third round even though he's winning his matches also.
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Post by justsafin on Jun 25, 2008 21:31:14 GMT 3
really nice interview , love his comment about Novak, strawberries and Dinara M. SAFIN bt N. Djokovic 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 An interview with: MARAT SAFIN Q. If you play on the Centre Court like today, it's like the place you feel you belong to? MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but you need to go through the stages. I played on Court 11, which is almost in another club. But still you need to go through these kind of matches to be able to play on the Centre Court. I think my ranking drop, so where you expect me to play? I'm 75 in the world and I'm playing against the Italian guy. Actually, not many people they care about this match. Actually, I was surprised it was a full stadium on Court 11.So these matches you need to get through. Even though they're tough, everybody's nervous, the other guy is playing well. You don't have any challenges there, the Hawk-Eye. The chair umpire may be half sleeping, but you need to get through these matches to be able to perform well and have a chance on the Centre Court.
THANKS LENA FOR THE LINKS!! The interview really cracks me up , Marat !! And of course, the strawberries, Dinara, Vintage Marat. LMAO ;D |
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Post by jenhatter06 on Jun 25, 2008 21:52:53 GMT 3
*happy dance* Saw the first set this morning before heading off to work (as much as I didn't want to go ...) ... Marat was coming up with some good stuff, and Novak was completely out of sorts ... Mom actually called me at work to tell me that Marat won, happy dancing ensued ... been a mix between shock and giddyness since then. ;D The fairy dust must be working ... or maybe Novak had an adverse reaction to it, lol ... or maybe Dinara's recent success is having a little influence on him And I'm sure Fed is elated to not have to worry about dealing with Novak either. Thanks everybody for all the pics, interviews, vids, etc  Woot Woot!! |
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Post by maryb on Jun 25, 2008 22:05:43 GMT 3
We have much in common on our views on Wimbles. In all the years I have been coming here, I have NEVER bought the strawberries! One year a friend came with me and he appeared with them. I could have thumped him for falling for it. The veggie burgers are manky - probably worse than the pasta. My biggest gripe? They make the REAL tennis fans queue for hours for a ground pass ticket - and you can queue out overnight and still not be guaranteed a show court ticket! How crap is that. Bollocks that the queue is part of the experience - put more show court tickets for sale on the day - 90% would be about right. It doesn't slow up the queue - you still have to go through the turnstiles. But that doesn't make good telly. And as for the Panama hat brigade ... Why do you go everbody always asks. Because I love the game and it's our Grand Slam. A bit more thought for the fans would be appreciated. Ok, time for the highlights ... please God, not Ana. Nice legs but ...
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Post by maratski on Jun 25, 2008 22:26:11 GMT 3
Congrats Marat .............absolutely deserved !!!
Thx for the pics !!!
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Post by maryb on Jun 25, 2008 22:27:46 GMT 3
The highlights didn't last long! Ana's legs must be on next. Anyway, can't complain as I finally got to see some of the match. Well done Big Yin on dominating the match so much. The fist pumping helps as well - keep doing it! You had the demeanour of a champion. A grass court one at that! LMAO. Correct me if I'm wrong, but were you applying a bit more topspin to the ball? LMAO, are you listening to me for a change?
Missed both goals in the semi, but do I care?
If you end up on an outside court on Friday, I'll be there. Don't make it first match on court friggin' 2 or I'll miss half the match. I should sprinkle the fairy dust on myself!
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;D 
