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Post by MariaV on Nov 7, 2004 2:25:01 GMT 3
Thanks Steph!!!  Have a wonderful day in Bercy tomorrow!!!!
And here's the Reuters article for you as I see no-one has posted it here.Safin eases into fourth Paris Masters final Sat 6 November, 2004 19:11 By Francois Thomazeau PARIS, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Marat Safin will bid for his third Paris Masters title on Sunday when he meets Czech qualifier Radek Stepanek in the final of the 2.43-million euros tournament. The Russian sixth seed powered past 13th seed Guillermo Canas 6-2 7-6 in 95 minutes. Safin also made the final of the indoors event in 1999, 2000 and 2002, winning the last two. Stepanek beat another qualifier, Belarussian Max Mirnyi 3-6 7-6 6-4. Safin broke Canas early to lead 4-1 and 5-2. The Argentine, who rallied from 274th to 14th in the ATP rankings this season, again lost serve and the set in the eighth game. Canas broke Safin to lead 2-1 in the second set but then lost his serve to love. Two disputed calls in the final tiebreak, one of which could have given Canas a set point, allowed Safin to take the set in 95 minutes. "I managed to stay in the match and it was very close. It was all up to a couple of points and it's a pity some of them were disputable," Canas said. Safin said: "I understand he can be unhappy because the calls went my way. "In the second set, I let him break and didn't really serve well. I was getting a little bit angry at myself because I knew it was really important to hold my serve. "So I tried my best, got into a tiebreak. Two close calls, and basically that was it. But the tiebreak is a lottery. It's not who is holding, who doesn't make any mistakes, it's who takes risks", said Safin, winner of the last Masters Series tournament in Madrid last month. On Sunday, the former U.S. Open champion will try to emulate Boris Becker, the only player to have won the Paris Masters three times. Safin said before he knew the identity of his opponent on Sunday that he did not care who he met. "They're in the final and it's not like they are making finals every week. So for them to be in a final means a lot of pressure but also they have norhing to lose. "Maybe they will be nervous and give me enough chances to break them because I may not be used to their style, but they're not used to being in a final," said Safin, who has won two of his four finals this season. Stepanek, by contrast, will play his first final at such level.
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Post by Damita on Nov 7, 2004 2:36:59 GMT 3
fanku stephiiiiii!!!! sounds like u had a great day n im really happy for u! ;D can't wait for the pics!!!!! ankle does sound really painful (speaking from experience unfortunately  ) yeah radeks goin down 2moro ;D oooh! i forgot about the ankle! speaker didn't ask Marat about it, and Marat didn't mention it so i hope it's ok. He sounded pretty confident to me (confident but wise, not 'yeah i'm gonna win it anyway", more like he was n his itw after Hewitt's match when journos told him he was definitely the favourite...). Marat played only with the white shirt today (my camera was ready between the 2 sets tho... in case he would feel like changing ;D). And in addition to the white T-shirt i bought (the TMS t-shirt with Marat on it... see the pic i posted days ago) the were selling Marat's adidas shirt, in red or black. A guy wanted to buy a shirt size XL and the seller asked: the TMS one or Marat's one? and teen answered Marat's one. then the seller told him: they're lareg, i'm gonna give you the L size. XL would be way too large for you son ;D (yeah, not everyone can look like Marat  ) |
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Perri
Junior Member
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Post by Perri on Nov 7, 2004 2:40:26 GMT 3
Thanks Damita you are so lucky to enjoy the match.  Can't wait to see your photos.  |
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Post by Damita on Nov 7, 2004 2:52:04 GMT 3
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Post by Damita on Nov 7, 2004 3:58:43 GMT 3
i've scanned the poster i wanted to show you. I got it from the program of bercy for today, and it was hanging from the ceiling everywhere in the alleys of the stadium  It says: BACKHAND INVADERS * to reach the Tsar, enter the arena and challenge his machines * i'm not sure but i think it had to do with the video game you can play in bercy. And apparently you can win a prize cuz at the bottom of the poster (doesn't appear here sorry), you can read: win a ticket to watch the final and win a day with Marat safin ...WHAT?!  a day with Marat? when? where?.... owww why do i suck at video games?  ;D |
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Post by sirius on Nov 7, 2004 4:57:08 GMT 3
DENDY!! thank you for that comprehensive report. it was awful reading on the MB that he'd twisted the ankle but not knowing exactly how it happened. STEPH!!! *HUGS* i've got the tv coverage at 6 this evening. i'll look out for u. and thanks for the report, the upcoming photos...everything...and u kniow... marat wasn't exactly WRONG in saying he'd played 5 finals here. after all the DC final was at bercy too ;D Nicki>>> u're right about the audio. awful stuff... mumble mumble mumble...couldn't make out a thing. i'm so glad he won.... marat vs radek...oooh.... nice matchup... |
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Post by sirius on Nov 7, 2004 4:59:16 GMT 3
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Post by sirius on Nov 7, 2004 5:06:25 GMT 3
from bercy site
ixth-seeded Marat Safin stayed on course for a third Paris title on Saturday after his straight set victory over Argentine’s Guillermo Canas to book passage into the final of the BNA Paribas Masters.
In the first semi-final of the afternoon, the 24-year-old Russian hammered 34 winners along with seven aces to outclass the thirteenth-seeded Argentine 6/2, 7/6 (5) in one hour and fourty minutes.
Safin reaches his fourth final here in Paris after having captured the title in 2000 and 2002.
“I had to stay focused throughout the entire match because I knew he could come back any time,” Safin said.
“I felt quite comfortable in the first set. In the second, he started making less unforced errors.”
His foe in the final will be against a qualifier, either Belarussian Max Mirnyi or Czech Radek Stepanek, who meet in the second semi- final of the day.
The Moscow native raced out of the box behind bullet serves and lethal ground-strokes. Firmly in command, he suffered a scare in the second game of the match after falling badly on his right ankle.
The incident did not seem to affect his flowing form as the Russian made Canas sprint from side to side, firing a string of ferocious double-fisted backhand winners, his signature shot.
Canas, who was making his third appearance here, was unable to dent Safin’s impressive steely armour.
But never count the tenacious Argentine out. The 26-year-old Buenos Aires native crawled his way back into the contest, breaking the tall Russian in the third game of the second set to go up 4-2.
Safin stormed back to restore parity in the eight game.
In the tie-breaker, a moment of controversy ensued when Canas scolded a linesman who ruled a call against him at 3-4.
At 5-all, Canas lost his cool and threw his racquet to the ground when the chair empire made both players replay a point which the Argentine thought he had won.
Safin couldn’t ask for more as the Russian captured the last two points to finish off the Argentine with a beautiful backhand volley winner.
“A tie-break is like a lottery,” said Safin. “It’s who takes the risk first and I did.”
(Araz Gulekjian)
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Post by sirius on Nov 7, 2004 5:07:19 GMT 3
more from bercy
ussian ace Marat Safin and surprise Czech sensation Radek Stepanek will fight on Sunday for the title at the BNP Paribas Masters.
Safin is gunning for his third Paris trophy at the POPB, a place where he always seems to click on all cylinders after having won titles in 2000 and 2002 and reaching the finals in 1999.Clearly, Safin is one of the hottest players on the tour lately. His season-ending victories include two titles (Beijing and the Madrid Masters). At the POPB, he was without doubt, the most impressive player of the week. His victory over Lleyton Hewitt in the quarterfinals was a masterpiece of hard hitting tennis, and missile fast groundstrokes. On Saturday, he overcame an ankle twist early in the first set before coming back to dominate Guillermo Canas of Argentina.
On paper, Safin will be strong favorite against Czech qualifier Radek Stepanek. His arsenal is filled to capacity and he can beat Stepanek in more than one way. When his confidence is high -like it is of late-, Safin is unflappable and can overpower anyone. Yet, Stepanek has captured their only previous encounter, last month in Moscow.
But the 25-year-old Stepanek, ranked a modest n°62 in the world, has never played in a final on the ATP tour in eight years as a professional. In an event striped of five of the world's top ten, he has seized a golden opportunity to try to become the first qualifier since Spain's Albert Portas in 2001 (Hamburg) to win a Masters Series tournament. Stepanek is also the first qualifier to slip into the final at the BNP Paribas Masters since Sergio Casal in 1986. Against Max Mirnyi in the semifinals, his ability to read his opponent's serve marvelously, his agressiveness and tactically sound game plans proved too much for the man commonly called"the beast". With nothing to lose, the Czech sensation might well find the ressources to find a way to become the new king of Paris.
(Araz Gulekjian and Georges Homsi)
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Post by Teresa on Nov 7, 2004 5:20:02 GMT 3
Damita thank you for your great report, I am so happy for you, sounded like you had a great day, a wonderful day watching Marat, apart from his fall which looked and sounded so scary, but watching Marat win an incredible match. A day you will always remember for sure. Thank you too for the getty pics, I actually got to open about the first 6 ;D so was very pleased. Look forward to seeing you pics when they are ready. Maria thanks for your report also and thanks Jiat for your pics and big thanks to anyone I might have forgotten to thank!! |
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Chiro
Junior Member
Posts: 146
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Post by Chiro on Nov 7, 2004 7:32:17 GMT 3
(Dancing like its 1999) MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!! WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!! They showed Hewitt's match against Marat here in Australia and everyone was like  "Hewitt LOST!!!"... I was like ;D ;D ;D ;D "Marat's in the final! Marat's in the final" WOOOO HOOOOO.... ohhh how i would love to watch him win over there in Paris... ohh well  MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! |
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Post by tall_one on Nov 7, 2004 8:51:45 GMT 3
LMAO Chiro, you aren't a little excite are you? lol ;D (Dancing like its 1999) MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!! WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!! They showed Hewitt's match against Marat here in Australia and everyone was like "Hewitt LOST!!!"... I was like ;D ;D ;D ;D "Marat's in the final! Marat's in the final" WOOOO HOOOOO.... ohhh how i would love to watch him win over there in Paris... ohh well MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! |
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Post by annie on Nov 7, 2004 9:41:33 GMT 3
...WHAT?! a day with Marat? when? where?.... owww why do i suck at video games? ;D your dilemma's not as huge as mine..."WHY AM I NOT LIVING IN PARIS?!?!" okay...anyway, i didn't get to see the semifinal match live...as usual...  but i will get to see it later today... about Marat's ankle...it's great he win inspite of it! i hope it heals really quickly...it might be a problem not only in the finals but also in Houston... he looked so hurt in the pictures as he was lying there..  ...but since he didn't even mention it after the match, maybe it's nothing to worry about anymore...but i'm still worried... ... good luck to him on the finals...as usual, i will be praying really intensely  ... |
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Post by sirius on Nov 7, 2004 11:32:53 GMT 3
(Dancing like its 1999) MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!! WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!! They showed Hewitt's match against Marat here in Australia and everyone was like "Hewitt LOST!!!"... I was like ;D ;D ;D ;D "Marat's in the final! Marat's in the final" WOOOO HOOOOO.... ohhh how i would love to watch him win over there in Paris... ohh well MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! MARAT"S IN THE FINAL!!! erm...would i be right to say that u're VERY excited? ;D control urself me dear..... don't wanna be locked up in an asylum alone in australia do u? u've got to mix the madness with the sane-ness or they won't let u travel with the men in white coats. |
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Post by MariaV on Nov 7, 2004 12:31:31 GMT 3
OMG Steph! I thought you were going to Bercy on both Sat and Sun! So sorry! At least you're gonna be here with us then! |
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) yeah radeks goin down 2moro ;D
)
Can't wait to see your photos. 
oops
a day with Marat? when? where?.... owww why do i suck at video games? 
;D
