SOPOT

[Damita]

Teresa said:

You know, everyone was like shocked when he said he was going to play Sopot, wrong thing to do, maddness, then everyone happy when he goes to Sopot and then he gets SH*T for losing in the 3rd round.

Teresa, i was one of the ppl who thought he shouldn't have played in Sopot, but as he chose to do so, then i was expecting him to play (especially after the draw went out!!!).... and tho i didn't see the match, i can say that when following it on the SB i felt like he was not playing at all... btw, he's the one who keeps saying that when he attends a tournament it's with the idea of winning it, otherwise he wouldn't play there... so are we to blame if we were expecting something from him? i don't think so

but hell its not like this is a grand slam or somthing, his mind has to be on going to the olympics, Athens is where Marat SHOULD BE NOW getting ready, not fluffing in Sopot and having tom dick and harry saying he tanked his match.

You're right, i prefer him to lose here than in New York, but still i don't like the way he lost
and i too think his mind should be in Athens. I think it should have been there since last week when he lost in Cincy, but he's the one who chose to act differently. So tell me now, if he has to think about the Olympics and "be ready", then why the hell did he chose to play Sopot the week before, on a different surface? i'm totally with you when you say he should be getting ready for the Olympics, but then he shouldn't have gone to Sopot to make such a bad performance.

People, Marat is going to the Olympics....I think we should all be wishing Marat the very best of luck at the Olympics, I know for me, I really want him to do well there, and I really hope he does well too, cause I think he does want to do well.

you're right, we have to think about the Olympics now, and i join you wishing him good luck. I'm not totally convinced he wants to do well cuz he's not very motivated by a medal, but he likes to play for his country so i hope he will find the motivation he needs in his patriotic feeling.

Look at Guga, look how long its taking him to get back on track

you can't really compare Guga and Marat. Marat's injured was a bad one for sure (he's been off for soooo long ) but Marat avoided the operation. Guga had an operation for his hip, which is worse.... he had the same operation Magnus Norman had, and Magnus hasn't get over this operation. Gustavo took some time to recover and he is better now, and can play, though still not on the same level as before, but he suffers a lot sometimes and says himself that he's just happy when he can play 5 or 6 tournaments in a row without suffering. I really think there's no comparison with Marat's injury, even if it's been really painful.

[patri]

ok I can't write nothing on 10th because intrnet go deth here.
now i try write what i saw 10 and 11 .08

Thats my report.

10.08.2004
I came into center court and sow first mach and practise. then stert Dinara's match on 1 court, i would like to see thise from center court.
When i saw like Marat goes after Dinara and take a place, i go to a cass and buy a ticket for 1-2 court.
I go there and sit near of Marat .
Dinara don't looking good. She speak somthing to herself and throw shes raqed.
But Marats don't look at mach- he played his self fon , talk by fon with somebody, or talk with a guy sit next place of him.
So in e break betwen gem's i go to Marat and do next photo with him, and take a authographs. I cant talk with him because on the match people shouldn't talk.
Then i sit and wchatch the match. dinara still saing somthing , and Marat speak to her in russian " what do You want , You just play a normal tenis' (or somthing near from thise)
Then came Fibak(polish most know tennis player) so i go to him snd take a authographs and ask abaut photo. In next break i go to him and we do a photo.Marat sit after him ans start to coment thise situation , but i don't hear what He say because i talk with Fibak. When i look on Marat He send me his most cute smily. I smile to him to and back on my place.
Abaut 18.00 Marat must go to practice befor mach so he left the court.
Dinara's won so i go to a center court to see Marats mach.
He looks verry good. Maybe he didn't play as well as he can but he won. He don't getting mad dont smash raqed. his serv looks well , and it was a normal match. i heard his fastest serv got 213 km/h. Dinara , they mum , Myskina and some other people watch thise match.
He won that was the most important.

11.08.2004.

I go to a center court and stand on a side to can watch how Dinaras play on 2 court. She allredy lost the first set when Marat came on court . He takes a newspaper and read thise , somtimes he looks how Dinara loos. He smily and talking with his friend, he gives a authographs and made photo with fans. He looks so goog.
After Dinaras mach Marat goes to a dinner. He sit on tabel with his mum and some friends. He laughing loud and looks good.
After long dinner he go to a court to practice before match. When he go some of funs take a autographs and made a photo with him.
Then match started.
I don't know what i can tok abaut thise.
Marats made a lots of simple mistace even his road to grid, end smash goes to middle of net. He lost next points and dont get mad. He even don't drope his raqed. He don't scream. I think it's unnaturalls for Marats. Fibak try to help Marat . But i think Marat have his own plan - plan to lost.
When he lost public start whistle , i don't suprised. A long time ago before match i can hear that Marat will lost.
After match he go into conference. After thise he goes to a supper. He eats with his mum and some other guy. he was smilly , and talkin . He looks like he alredy win the match , not lose. After he go out with bodyguards. gives a few authographs and go to a practice court. He spend there only a few minutes , and with smile on his face he go to Haffner Hotel.

and after all i agine meat Fibak, and he remember me

end thats all.

What i see more ... he was more avalible to fans with talk to him in russian! Why ? I haven't no idea.

I hope You understand what i would like to write.

[patri]

oh and in next week i try to post hear a my photos.

[Teresa]

Patri thank u for your report. Your english is very good please do not aplogise. I for one really appreciate your reports, they are great to read thank you.
I am so glad that Marat gave you his cute smiley ;Dyou lucky girl, and to that Fibak was so nice and remembered you

I guess he would gravitate to russian speaking fans as he is a Russian.

Look forward to seeing your phots next week and hope that you continue to enjoy the tournament.

Thank you

[Teresa]

Damita said:

Teresa, i was one of the ppl who thought he shouldn't have played in Sopot, but as he chose to do so, then i was expecting him to play (especially after the draw went out!!!).... and tho i didn't see the match, i can say that when following it on the SB i felt like he was not playing at all... btw, he's the one who keeps saying that when he attends a tournament it's with the idea of winning it, otherwise he wouldn't play there... so are we to blame if we were expecting something from him? i don't think so

Damita I know and do understand what you are saying, and yes, its natural that he would say that it is his hope/his intention to win.....I mean what else can he say, if we really think about it, and I don't mean that in the way of saying this is what you should think okay, but really it simply did not make sense for him to go all the way to winning this tournament. I know it sounds bad, but honestly feel thats just the way it is. I mean do y ou or anyone else really think that Marat liked losing to Lopez? He needs to be in Athens, And he sure had to pay a high price in getting there, we all make mistakes, he is human, after all he is just human like the rest of us.

It will be intesting to see how far Myskina goes.

You're right, i prefer him to lose here than in New York, but still i don't like the way he lost

Agreed, I don't like the way he lost either, and sure don't think that Marat liked the way he lost either, really we do not know how bad he must feel inside, but I am going to try and forget about it asap.
I don't think that it made sense for him to stay in Sopot until after his match on Friday, thats when he would have played again right?

but he's the one who chose to act differently. So tell me now, if he has to think about the Olympics and "be ready", then why the hell did he chose to play Sopot the week before, on a different surface?

Honestly? I don't think he wanted to, I think he was under pressure, and he was dammed if he did and dammed if he did not, it was a no win situation for him and I wish to God he had done better in Cincy so not to have been forced into this horrendos situation.

i'm totally with you when you say he should be getting ready for the Olympics, but then he shouldn't have gone to Sopot to make such a bad performance.

Unavoidable, simply an unavoidable situation

you're right, we have to think about the Olympics now, and i join you wishing him good luck. I'm not totally convinced he wants to do well cuz he's not very motivated by a medal, but he likes to play for his country so i hope he will find the motivation he needs in his patriotic feeling.

Well, honestly I feel he really would like to win a gold medal, I mean who would not, and for sure Marat is very patriotic, but for Marat, there has to be some sort of grand charge before some event he is not to sure about or that comfortable about, and please this is just my take, I could be totally out of order and completely wrong when I say so to say he is not really motivated bout going to~Athens and that a gold is not as important a grand slam will only make it easier to say 'Ah well, such is life' if he does not win a medal, or if he does not do well at the USO he can always say , well you know.....having to go to Athens f**ucked me. But you see for me, I can live with this. And if this is not so then even better

you can't really compare Guga and Marat.

True, really, please, I take it back, Guga was not a fair comparison, and I apologise.

[sirius]

right...is my curse theory working again?

anyway, next up, the olympics...ALL THE BEST TO MARAT FOR THAT!!!!!!!!!

but for yesterday's match... this is all i have to say...

and i'm not being pessimistic or anything. but i think that shooting is in order, after reading abt how "lopez had points flying all over...(or sth to taht extent). and looking at the scoreline...and patri's report.

BTW, thanks patri for the reports, looking forward to the photos! and thanks everyone who posted reports and pics and interviews.

[Mike]

Hey guys. I'm new here and I'm from Germany. Hope my english isn't to bad.
The first time I saw Marat was at the AO 2004. It's a really "strange" Story how I came to watch the AO. I can tell you that antoher time.
Of course I like Marat very much and so I'm very sad that he lost but...yeah...that can happen. Look at the French Open where Starace defeated Grosjean in 3 Sets and nearly defeated Marat. Or take a look at the Croatia Open where Volandri trashed Moya 6:3 , 6:2. I just want to say that this can happen to anybody. Of course it's sad that this happened to Marat, but....better here than in New York, right?

[patri]

But thruly it was the whorst Marats match I have ever seen.

[Mike]

Well...i can believe that. Hope that won't happen again.

[Tatiana]

Thanks for your report Patri and definitely looking forward to seeing the photos!

And by the way, welcome Mike!

[Vassily]

Mike, get out of thsi Marat-fan thing before you're hooked. He's realy painful sometimes.

[sirius]

Vassily said:

Mike, get out of thsi Marat-fan thing before you're hooked. He's realy painful sometimes.

VASS! don't scare the poor guy away.

WELCOME TO TGFR MIKE!!!!! ignore vass, he's in a bad mood today.

[Myke]

Patri, thanks for your report! Great you got to meet him and got to take pictures!!

Mike, welcome here! And your English isn't bad at all!

[Carolineonline]

Mike said:

.... Of course it's sad that this happened to Marat, but....better here than in New York, right?

very possible the same thing will happen in New York... who knows.. everything is possible with this dude!!
;)Caroline

[Elisabeth]

Myke said:

Well Elisabeth, it looks like we should have a team-meeting, cause we aren't very succesfull anymore!

yes exactly!
Nevertheless,i'm sure that we are a good team.....
Pffff.....well....i just think that it's marat who isn't very succesfull...
For sure,we are great team!marat can be happy that we are still his fans!
Team is ok......but marat...........
We have still hard work with him.....