SOPOT

[sirius]

ok, someone out on MTF is saying that marat's playing in Sopot, which i think is RIDICULOUS! and WEIRD! cos that's the week before the Athens tennis programme starts and it's on CLAY!
anyway, i tried to verify it by going to the Sopot website but YAY! it's all in Polish so it all doesn't make sense to me. so... would some kind soul..... hehe...you know who you are, please help me check it out? Thank you!!!!!!!!

it's at www.ideaprokomopen.pl/

[me]

www.ideaprokomopen.pl/zawodnicy/lista.php

his name is in this list (and so is Dinara's name), but of course I'm not certain that this is even the competitors list, so Magda, please help us out!!!!!

-xxx-jes me

[Magda]

that's right, his name is on the list . I'm still in a huge shock right now, but I'll try to be clear .

I was trying to figure it out and actually it makes sense to me... Sopot is a tournament on the clay, which is the same surface as in Athens (correct me if I'm wrong), so that would be a good preparation before the olympics as all the other tourneys are on the hard courts. So I think it is true and now I just need to get there somehow!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jiat>> Yep, the tournament website really sux coz it has no English version, but I will inform you about any news!

[Damita]

Magda said:

Jiat>> Yep, the tournament website really sux coz it has no English version, but I will inform you about any news!

Thanks sweetie

[tall_one]

Magda said:

I was trying to figure it out and actually it makes sense to me... Sopot is a tournament on the clay, which is the same surface as in Athens (correct me if I'm wrong), so that would be a good preparation before the olympics as all the other tourneys are on the hard courts. So I think it is true and now I just need to get there somehow!!!!!!!!!!!!

No the surface at the Olympics is hardcourt, not clay.
Here is the site that lists all the Olympics info--> www2.itftennis.com/olympics/html/2004index.html

[sirius]

so...if one's on clay and one's on hard? where does that leave us?

sopot's on the 9th to the 15th.
the olympics tennis prog starts on the 15th... what's he playing at?

[Vassily]

If he's playing Sopot, he's playing to lose it on purpose. Becuase of stupid surface change he'll spoil his Olympics and then the USO.
I realy hope that he'll withdraw.

[Annie]

Some unofficial news one of the managers mentioned (which I'm still trying to get confirmed so don't take it as 100% yet) but Marat is supposed to be pulling out of all tournaments and not returning until Toronto (yes, that's right!) He's said he'll have 1 month vacation and return to play Toronto, Cinncinnatti & Olympics, then US Open back to back. No LA, no RCA Indy etc.... just 1 month off then lots of hardwork, concentrating only on the bigger tournaments and not wasting energy on 'minor' ones. So if that's true, then we can safely forget about Sopot. I personally don't think he'll put in an appearence there anyway - he's never played Sopot, why would he start now? Makes no sense, it's the wrong surface and too much flying involved to make it happen. Nope, I'm not convinced, I'm afraid....

[Annie]

Sopot Update:
Marat's name is on the entry list, but according to his management, Marat may not play there unless he does very badly at both Toronto & Cincy and needs extra matches. Obviously if he does well at Cincy, it is physically impossible for him to get to Sopot in time, & it has been suggested he'll go straight to the Olympic Village in Athens to practice early (9th August) ahead of the tennis which begins on 15th August. But the message was clear: don't focus on Sopot.

As usual, this is just the general 'vibe' at the moment, nothing definite. But I think whether Marat appears at Sopot or ot depends entirely on how well he does at Toronto & Cincinnatti - it's talked about as 'a safety net' tournament - if Marat needs to kill time before the Olympics he'll go, but I guess he's kinda hoping he'll be in the final of Cincy and therefore can't make Sopot, and I personally prefer that idea
Hope this little bit of info puts a few minds at rest (mine included!) it took me a while to get a response (everyone is so busy these days...) but that's why Sopot wasn't mentioned in the schedule on the homepage and why the Olympics is listed as 9th August although the tennis starts on 15th.

[sirius]

urgh! olympics start the week i start school!!!!!! and on my national day! hahahaha...

ok. that's not the point. don't think any of our athletes have a humungous chance to win anything. given our track record. anyway, i'm off topic...

marat...the filler tourney thing makes sense... but i really really really hope he does well in canada and cincy. he's done pretty well in canada the last few years he's played, so let's hope that continues. and then cincy... for nicki's sake, and marat's own...i hope he goes and kicks ass!!!!!!

all the best marat!

[Vassily]

ok... suppose he does play Sopot. how does one withdraw from a tournament in the middle of it? Don't you get a fine? Or does he plan to tank his last match? That's a fine too...

Plus, it's outrageus and disrespectful behaivior to the tournament. What are they going to print on their ads? " Come quick see Marat Safin! He will appeare only for the second round! Come quick before he leaves for Olympics!" ?

[Damita]

Vassily said:

What are they going to print on their ads? " Come quick see Marat Safin! He will appeare only for the second round! Come quick before he leaves for Olympics!" ?

ROTRL ;D though i agree this is not really funny if that's what he's planning to do (tanking his match i mean)

[sirius]

Vassily said:

ok... suppose he does play Sopot. how does one withdraw from a tournament in the middle of it?

WELLLLLLL.... we just have to wait and see i guess.

[Annie]

There is no way Marat will be tanking his match!! What a crappy thing to say about the guy you supposedly are fans of?!

You shouldn't need me to tell you this, but I'll say it anyway: he'll either be allowed to withdraw because he's in the final of Cincy ( ) or he'll pay any fines due. He may even withdraw before the fine is due. Or he may play Sopot anyway. But to publically suggest he'll tank.......?? Show Marat some credit, guys, or don't bother posting those disrespectful messages, because I may start deleting them.

I'm sick and tired of the 'anti-Marat' sentiments being posted all over the forums on this board, and quite frankly, it's become boring. I don't normally get annoyed here, but it's been building up ever since his Wimbledon exit. Yes, it wasn't a wonderful result, and I'm sure Marat was upset about it too, but he's only human. But some fans have now 'black listed' the rest of his season based purely on his performance at Wimbledon, which is totally unfair.
The poor guy can't do anything right by your standards! If he had declared he was going to start an intense practice program and play all the tournaments between now and US Open, you'd say he was doing the wrong thing: he'd burn out too quick and probably get injured again.
So he decides to take a break, organise his private life, refresh himself, probably do some private practice in Miami and play the important tournaments before the US Open, to conserve energy. He's added Sopot as a 'safety net' so he can enter that if he needs to. But that decision obviously isn't good enough either for some of you.....
I've never censored constructive criticisim of Marat on TGFR, and I've criticisied him myself plenty of times. But this is becoming a graveyard.... the lack of hope is horrendous when there is no real need to be so negative. Since the beginning of the year, Marat has emphasised 2 tournaments: RG & US Open. He played amazing at RG, and only went out due to freak appearence of blisters. So now he's taking US Open seriously, and is aiming to not just do well, but win it again!!! So let's show our man some quality support, instead of draining the hope of other Marat fans with non-stop depression.

[Teresa]

WELL SAID Ruth