Flushing Meadows... ... We'll be back...

[Annie]

MariaV said:

Oh Ruth, I'd do anything to cheer him up!!! He must know we're all there for him no matter what!

Unfortunately, he wouldn't if he went over to safinator's board right now........*ouch* Talk about venting your spleen....it's enough to make the poor guy suicidal! You'd think Marat had shot their grandparents, rather than lost a match......

Krasotka >> Sorry, I've no idea which hotel he's staying in New York I think there are about 3 players hotels for the US Open, so try asking some of the tournament drivers, they should be able to tell you

*sigh* I never knew the road back from injury was going to be this long.... but I wouldn't want to make such a long journey with anyone else but Marat ;D

[Magda]

[Teresa]

[quote author=Ruth link=board=tournament&thread=1092746358&start=159#10 date= whereas Amit will listen to him rant and rave and then sit and talk to him quietly but rationally. I'm glad he's there for Marat right now.

More than anything, I was told Marat needed 'cheering up' from the fans. I think I'd forgotten, Marat can be his own harshest critic and it sounds like he may be really punishing himself for the loss last night

AT LAST.........thank you..........

Its such a relief to read/hear you say this.........and it
is such a relief again to see us as a team behind Marat
trying to understand, and trying to be there for him.

I'm pretty sure Marat & co are aware of the degree of his fans frustration and loss of faith/hope. But I think Marat's reached rock-bottom > he played the match, we watched the match, and we were all heart-broken by the end of it. He needs true fans now, more than ever - maybe even more than during his injury.

What I have been trying to say, I was begining to think I was the only one, but thank god you can say it so much better than I can.

One positive note > the pressure of US Open, RG etc has gone now. There are only a handful of tourneys left to play and apart from possibly Kremlin Cup & Bercy, it doesn't matter to the 'outside world' how far he goes. So maybe we'll see some unexpected wins as a result?

You could be right, I hope so.

I'm clutching at straws at the moment,

Ruth>> I don't think you are, it just seems so because you do not have the answers, but I think you have pretty much summed it up and are close enough to understanding as you ever will be.

but I keep reminding myself that I didn't become a Marat fan because of his trophies or his head-to-head record: I'm a fan because I love following the world's most talented tennis player. His losses are always going to be crippling to me, and his wins will make me ecstatic.

EXACTLY.........and I will always admirer Marat, he will always be my habibi, and in years to come I will be ever so proud to be able to look back and feel good sooooo good that I had the opportunity to support one of the finest, most talented\, incredibly handsome, intriguing, funny, captivating tennis players ever to grace the tennis world

but the best is still yet to come, so I'm going to stick around for that, because it can happen anytime and in the most unexpected ways & places.....
So come back soon, Marat! We'll be waiting for you on the other side, and when you pick up that next trophy, I hope you'll remember your true fans who kept the faith despite being as heart-broken as you must be.

Okay okay.......you actually brought me to tears..........but am so much more encouraged to know that you are sticking around too, hope you can do with the company as I have every intention of sticking around.

[Teresa]

Ruth said:

Unfortunately, he wouldn't if he went over to safinator's board right now........*ouch* Talk about venting your spleen....it's enough to make the poor guy suicidal! You'd think Marat had shot their grandparents, rather than lost a match......

LOL........Ruth so true.......if I could have reached into the screen and strangled some of them over there I would have done so.

I guess having gone there is why I have been so emotional and have unjustly taken out my frustration of fickle, shallow fans on TGFR members, when really I should have been going at them over on safinator.

So please, I aplogise to those of you who might have be offended or hurt by my remarks.

*sigh* I never knew the road back from injury was going to be this long.... but I wouldn't want to make such a long journey with anyone else but Marat ;D

Thats for sure

[Myke]

Ruth said:

A little bit of 'insider info' on Marat post-match - he was thoroughly upset (surprise surprise ) and he and Amit seemed to be having a long & private heart-to-heart in the hotel room. I guess there was lots of soul-baring and possibly a few tears too Although Peter is his coach, I think he is more distant with Marat, whereas Amit will listen to him rant and rave and then sit and talk to him quietly but rationally. I'm glad he's there for Marat right now.
More than anything, I was told Marat needed 'cheering up' from the fans. I think I'd forgotten, Marat can be his own harshest critic and it sounds like he may be really punishing himself for the loss last night
I'm pretty sure Marat & co are aware of the degree of his fans frustration and loss of faith/hope. But I think Marat's reached rock-bottom > he played the match, we watched the match, and we were all heart-broken by the end of it. He needs true fans now, more than ever - maybe even more than during his injury. I'm still really sore about his loss last night, but let's face it, if Marat gets into the 2nd round of a tournament now, it will be an improvement ;D
One positive note > the pressure of US Open, RG etc has gone now. There are only a handful of tourneys left to play and apart from possibly Kremlin Cup & Bercy, it doesn't matter to the 'outside world' how far he goes. So maybe we'll see some unexpected wins as a result?
I'm clutching at straws at the moment, but I keep reminding myself that I didn't become a Marat fan because of his trophies or his head-to-head record: I'm a fan because I love following the world's most talented tennis player. His losses are always going to be crippling to me, and his wins will make me ecstatic. But it's been a long time since we've seen Marat really shine; Oz was close, but the best is still yet to come, so I'm going to stick around for that, because it can happen anytime and in the most unexpected ways & places.....
So come back soon, Marat! We'll be waiting for you on the other side, and when you pick up that next trophy, I hope you'll remember your true fans who kept the faith despite being as heart-broken as you must be.

Good point! The whole story ;D

Like I said, I mean... it should be unconditional, being his supporter. Or fan, whatever people want to call it.
So he lost. So he doesn't have a good period right now. You can't write someone off just because of it.

We lurrrrrrrve him! ;D Let's just hope he gets himself together and motivated and keep supporting him. And come on... it wouldn't be any fun if he'd win everything like Federer... how boring ;D

[zita]

i loved him the first minute i saw him play. At that time it wans't for his game Now i have both : a good looking sexy guy with an amazing talent . He'll be back someday

[MariaV]

Ruth said:

Unfortunately, he wouldn't if he went over to safinator's board right now........*ouch* Talk about venting your spleen....it's enough to make the poor guy suicidal! You'd think Marat had shot their grandparents, rather than lost a match......

*sigh* I never knew the road back from injury was going to be this long.... but I wouldn't want to make such a long journey with anyone else but Marat ;D

Oh dear, you went over to safinator's..... like it wasn't bad enough already..... Good that I don't go there! WE the SHALLOW ones here support Marat all the way!!!!!!!!

And you're right about making the journey ONLY with Marat! I wouldn't stick with anyone else either!!!

[MariaV]

BTW girls, about injuries, I just saw Mark P. retire vs Davydenko with his hip-knee...... So it could be so much worse for us, at least luckily Marat's stayed healthy this year - just trying to see positive things for a change!

[Elisabeth]

poor Marat....he must be realy sad....me too.....but not because he lost ....cos he is sad....
I'm still Marat 's fan...even he lost!!I know that he is the best when he lost and when he won!!!!!
Come on Marat!!!!

[Steph]

Well, I couldn't get online last night and I think everything has been said about the loss so I'm not gonna dwell on it. But I think if he does read this message board he would have been happy to see all the support everyone has given him cos support is what Marat needs right now. He dosen't need people getting down on him and critising him, which is what people have been doing on some other boards . I had to stop reading what was being said!
Like Teresa said if your a fan, your in for the long haul, not just when people are playing well, they don't need the support then, people need support most when they are at rock bottom. I always say that I am a Marat fan because it's a rollercoaster ride there can be amazing highs, but there are also lows and I know it feels like it's been a low for a while now, but coming back from injury is always hard. But I think going from 80 something in the world to 14 is pretty good in a year and the highs will come soon I know it and Marat will show his best and then all the people who are getting down on Marat right now will be praising him and loving him again until he looses again, and I don't think that these people can be called fans, and if I were Marat I'd tel them to shove their support.

[tall_one]

Sorry this is so long

..... and I don't think that these people can be called fans, and if I were Marat I'd tel them to shove their support.

These people are just as big as fans as all of you are, they just express there frustrations in a different way. Just because people are ranting and raving on Safinator does not mean that they are bad fans, it doesn't mean they love Marat any less than the people who sit quietly and absorb these kinds of losses. You have all seen Vass rant and rave after Marat's losses, but i don't think there any of you who doubt his loyalty. Some people express their frustration by venting.

This is why there are different forums, so different people can express themselves in different ways.


And if Marat did go over that I would hope, considering he is a screaming type personality, that he would understand why they feel the need to vent. This year started with such promise, to watch it crumble to the ground has been hard, but rest assured that the people who are still posting are true Marat fans, the bandwagon fans we picked up during the Aussie Open are gone by now, the last of those left after Wimby. You only have to go as far as the 'Fav Marat pic' thread in the Marat forum to see that he is still loved.

Even after (in my opinion) the most devastating lose of the season the talk is about sending Marat a stuff hippo - not of finding someone else to watch, or wondering when he is going to win a title - only taking about how we can get all of our signatures onto a stuff hippo at minimum cost

Take heart everyone, we got though last year, we will get though this year. In 2000 Marat was ready to quit tennis, but he dug deep, keep trying and eventually prevailed. Marat will pick himself up, dust himself off and try again.

As long as Marat is playing there will always be hope.

[Magda]

I'm not crying because I'm sad but because I'm touched. Nicki you deserved your own thread now

[Lucitienne]

I was thinking "What is Marat Thinking?!", but now after reading all this, I guess I really don't have any more of an idea of what he is thinking than the rest of you...wow. I think it's waay sad that he seems (only to me) to be losing control over his game at this point. I really thought he was going to tear it up at the US Open this year, that it was his tournament or whatever. I really do want to be screaming in front of the Television again for him, like when he won in '00. I hope the best for him and I'm just gonna keep saying it and saying it. But haven't we been wondering what's up with him for like the last year now? Hmmm.

Lucitienne

[Dee]

Tallone...thankyou for coming to the defence of the people from safinator. Most posters there, totally support Marat, and I might add, have done so for years, through thick and thin. This is probably why this defeat at the US Open has hit alot of people hard and the posts there may seem harsh, but some of the posters there have supported Marat for years.. and still continue to do so. They are simply venting their frustration (amongst friends I think). Please don't single out certain boards for criticism, what people on safinator have to say is as valid as the people on TGFR. You both have great sites with great fans and I love visiting both. As i have already posted on safinator, Marat Safin is one of the only players who ever excited, amazed, entertained me with his sheer skill and talent, and for that alone, i will always be a fan, regardless of the amount of trophies he wins etc. I haven't been impressed with some of his decisions of late, but I'm fully prepared to wait and trust that he will do what he thinks is right. But when does any human being please all of us all of the time? I like what Ruth had to say alot. I hope this post makes some sense. I really just want to see Marat enjoy his tennis again, and I want to see him happy.

[Teresa]

Dee and Nicki in the words of Marat himself

MARAT SAFIN:
In my case, a lot of people, they think that it's kind of easy for me, tennis. You know, I have a lot of talent, that I have potential to win a few more Grand Slams, I have a big talent, but I'm just not focused enough, I'm not working enough, I'm not into it anymore. All the time they find to put me down all the time. It hurts. Of course, it hurts. But, my friend, is not so easy to, you know, just be with the talent.

I think this statement is so true of many of the posts seen on yes safinator and other boards, but as you both say, fans are entitled to their own opinions, expressions of frustration and criticism.

But I sincerely don't think that Marat would be happy with some of the posts I have seen because he is prone to outbursts of frustration himself, or 'screaming type of personality' as Nicki said LOL

Whilst I can understand frustration, disappointment and constructive criticism, I find some of the posts I read to be brutal and harsh and hurtful and find it hard to understand how this kind of venting can be supportive

Quote:"First of all, whenever I try to show emotions, nobody likes it. When I don’t show emotions, nobody likes it," Safin said. "What the hell do you want me to do? Whenever I show emotions, everybody is criticizing me and complaining like ‘Why do you break so many racquets? Why you shout?’ Whenever I try to be calm, I try to be concentrated, is not good enough. So tell me how I should be please?"

And yes Dee, what Ruth had to say was really good, she is a wonderful moderator, and she never fails to boost our spirits, or strenghten our faith in Marat, with Ruth, her words for Marat and the members are encouraging, and positive, not bitter, harsh or brutal, she is objective, and there is no flip flopping. And we remember, we remember that we are here because we love and support Marat though the good times and the bad, the ups and downs, whether he wins or loses.