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Post by Magda on Jun 24, 2004 0:40:34 GMT 3
Where is this article from bea?? It's really weird......
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ivy
Full Member
HOLA! Go Marat! Go Hewitt! Go Guga!
Posts: 317
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Post by ivy on Jun 24, 2004 0:40:45 GMT 3
Does anyone know which hotel the players are staying at?
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bea
New Member
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Post by bea on Jun 24, 2004 0:43:26 GMT 3
hope this article makes you feel better ...
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Post by Magda on Jun 24, 2004 0:44:46 GMT 3
hope this article makes you feel better ... Perhaps..... But I just wonder why he changed his mind so fast...?? |
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bea
New Member
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Post by bea on Jun 24, 2004 0:50:37 GMT 3
Where is this article from bea?? It's really weird...... I read it on www.tennis.com |
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Post by tall_one on Jun 24, 2004 1:49:27 GMT 3
Perhaps..... But I just wonder why he changed his mind so fast...?? maybe the ATP was going to fine him for tanking if he didn't issue a apology/retraction *shrug* |
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Post by sirius on Jun 24, 2004 2:24:00 GMT 3
Safin Fails To Match Expectations
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Marat Safin was once a serious contender to become the first Russian to win the Wimbledon title. He looked properly equipped to transfer his physical strength and racket skills to grass.
Standing 6ft 4ins and weighing nearly 200lbs, the Moscow-born Safin was a man to be feared when his game was in tune with the demands of whatever surface on which he was playing.
Contrast the optimism of those opinions with the reality of Safin after he went out of this year's Wimbledon Championships with a defeat in the first round to a fellow Russian, Dmitry Tursunov, who is some distance behind him in ranking and results.
Suddenly there was no threat to the field from Safin who used to be just the type of player who could become dangerous on a quicker surface. There is now a serious element of doubt whether Safin will play at Wimbledon again. As he is only 24, that would be a huge loss to The Championships.
Safin seemed to spell it all out after being beaten by Tursunov. Of Wimbledon, he said: "It's not my biggest goal. I tried and I tried but it doesn't work. Really it is not my tournament where I can play well because I don't feel comfortable. I cannot move. For me, it is difficult to play my tennis."
There have always been indications that Safin will not light the same fires on grass as on other courts. In 1998, the first year he entered Grand Slams, he reached the fourth round at the French and US Opens but was a first round loser at Wimbledon.
Two years later he won the US Open and became so successful on the tour that he was the youngest player since 19-year-old Boris Becker in 1986 to be ranked second in the world. Safin's best Wimbledon was in the summer of 2001 when he reached the quarter-finals for the only time, losing to the eventual winner Goran Ivanisevic in four sets.
In 2002, Safin finished the year third in the rankings but was a second round loser at Wimbledon. A year later, the first injury problems crept into his life with a wrist injury that kept him out of three Grand Slams, including Wimbledon.
This year began well for Safin as he stormed to the final of the Australian Open, beating Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi before losing to Roger Federer in straight sets.
Certainly, Safin's large army of fans will hope that his sadness and frustration in losing at Wimbledon this year will not lead to a permanent withdrawal from The Championships.
But Safin's own words deserve respect. "I don't like to play on this surface," he said of grass. "I don't feel like I am moving. I cannot move there. Every time. I don't know how it's gonna bounce. So it's like a real nightmare for me."
Written by Barry Newcombe
New article from Wimbledon site
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Post by Annie on Jun 24, 2004 17:19:09 GMT 3
Does anyone know which hotel the players are staying at? Players usually rent & share appartments near Wimbledon because it's too expensive for most players to spend 2 weeks in a London hotel, so there's no 'official players hotel' for Wimbledon, I think. |
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Post by Teresa on Jun 24, 2004 21:28:47 GMT 3
ME>> thank you for the post-match interview!!  i feel better after reading it for sure... He's really positive about the second half of the year and especially the American tour  And about Lundgren, that's so positive  ... well, i hope Peter is in the same state of mind (even after this match  ) Teresa>>i hope he'll come back to Wimbledon next year... he's improving on the surface even if he still doesn't admit it  ... he has to make this idea entering his head!... plus, if doesn't come he'll be fined... he's only 24 so just imagine all the fines he'll have if he doesn't play Wimbledon anymore!  I know it's certainly not a problem for him but if he doesn't play there at all he'll probably face more serious penalties  ... I'm sure he'll come next year. Chris>> even if Marat's out, i hope you'll have a great day saturday  Me>> Thank you for the report, I too felt much happier after reading it. Thanks Damita, and now we know that he will be back. Ruth >>>I agree with you (you really have a great way of saying what I think but never seem to be able to put into words!!) thanks, THE ONLY exception is that I am not unhappy with his results thus far for the year, don't get me wrong, I would like to have seen better results, but I think considering he was off most of last year, and he has had some difficult situations to deal with such as the fire, playing back to back matches, blisters etc etc he has some great results. And yes I agree you Ruth that his game and fitess are fine, but would like to add also that he has played in the last 6 weeks or so some incredible high stamina matches, look at the back to back ones, look at RG, look at all those 5 setters he won! He is fit, and his tennis is just fine. For the rest of it......god knows.......god knows what going on behind the scenes, but this is real life stuff and in real life shit happens, and I think Marat has a fair amout of shit going down. As for the apology, that took guts and courage, and I am so very proud of him to have done the apology. I hope this too is a sign that those close to him are giving him the support and encouragement he needs, and their support will give him strength to get thru the rest of the season, because yes tennis is his passion, its what he likes, and he will go out there and win. So as Ruth says: |
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Post by MariaV on Jun 25, 2004 12:55:04 GMT 3
TO RUTH & EVERYONE ELSE INTERESTED ONCE AGAIN IN RED LETTERS - HIS FITNESS WAS NO GOOD AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FAR FROM GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And believe it's not just stupid me, some really good experts said that too! HIS SERVE (which is esp. important on grass & which he usually has!) WAS FAILING BECAUSE OF BAD FEET, BAD POSE, PLUS SLOW MOVEMENT AND BAD FOOTWORK ALL COMES FROM BAD FITNESS!!!!! AND HE WAS SO FIT IN AUSTRALIA!!! He played fine for 1,2 sets and then lost his concentration, fitness, everything...... just like usual...... And he hasn't played too much, other players have played a lot more and are still fine!!! And don't come with RG here! His play vs Mantilla and Starace was a digrace!!!!!!!! Any other top 10 player (is he a top 10 level at all? "sarcasm*) would have won those matches 3-0!!! One "Karlovic" can happen to anyone, but 10 "Karlovices" in a row is a pattern!!!!  Whatever his personal problems are he needs to solve them quickly or there will be NO SUCCESSFUL HARD COURT SEASON EITHER!!!!!!! At least I have no expectations, no hope any more unlike Ruth, unfortunately! But don't think that I don't love our Marat any more! I feel so sorry for the whole family at the moment!  So painful next week of Wimbledon without him really.
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Post by tall_one on Jun 25, 2004 13:43:39 GMT 3
Why lack of fitness can result in bad footwork, serve and movement, so can being distracted. When Marat's mind is somewhere else (which it often is) his footwork tends to go down as does his serve. When he isn't in a fighting mood he doesn't try as hard to run balls down. I don't think Marat played long enough to judge his fitness - he only played 1 four set match in cool weather on a fast court. He started going down hill at the end of the 2nd set, even an out of shape Marat (like he was in October last year) can last that long I honestly beleive that something is just bothering him and when you combine that with a severe dislike of grass/Wimby you get what we saw the other day. Hopefully he can work out whatever is bothering him and have an awesome hardcourt season |
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Post by MariaV on Jun 25, 2004 13:51:31 GMT 3
Why lack of fitness can result in bad footwork, serve and movement, so can being distracted. When Marat's mind is somewhere else (which it often is) his footwork tends to go down as does his serve. When he isn't in a fighting mood he doesn't try as hard to run balls down. I don't think Marat played long enough to judge his fitness - he only played 1 four set match in cool weather on a fast court. He started going down hill at the end of the 2nd set, even an out of shape Marat (like he was in October last year) can last that long |
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Post by me on Jun 25, 2004 14:28:42 GMT 3
AND HIM NOT TRAINING IN THE MEANTIME!!
I don't think he hasn't been doing the work outside of the court, I think he HAS been practising, but that he was just distracted during the match.
-xxx-jes me |
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Post by sirius on Jun 25, 2004 16:20:05 GMT 3
Why lack of fitness can result in bad footwork, serve and movement, so can being distracted. that sentence sounds weird, sorry. but other than that, what you said in the rest of the post makes sense! |
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Post by tall_one on Jun 25, 2004 16:51:49 GMT 3
that sentence sounds weird, sorry. but other than that, what you said in the rest of the post makes sense! that is because I meant to say "While lack of...." not "why lack of...'' I just wasn't paying attention to what i was typing  |
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*sigh* 
i feel better after reading it for sure...
And about Lundgren, that's so positive 
... well, i hope Peter is in the same state of mind (even after this match 
)
... he has to make this idea entering his head!... plus, if doesn't come he'll be fined... he's only 24 so just imagine all the fines he'll have if he doesn't play Wimbledon anymore! 
I know it's certainly not a problem for him but if he doesn't play there at all he'll probably face more serious penalties 
