Gerry Weber Open 2005 (Halle)

[Teresa]

lau said:

I love this one ;D

[lau]

teresa said:

I love this one ;D

It was scary He was really mad, lol

[Teresa]

Ah well......... they lost
Great week of tennis thanks to Marat and PimPim

As I said so many times before I am so proud of Marat and what he has achieved this week

I hope all goes well in Milan, and that he gets a well deserved rest and that he will be at Wimbledon.

LOL just thought........ermmmmmm... 2 weeks of no Marat.......

[Madou]

Interview with Marat Safin
Sonntag, 12.06.2005

Press-Conference with Marat Safin (RUS) after his defeat against Roger Federer (SUI) in the final.

? The match could also go the other way round, couldn’t it? !

Really, you’re right, I also felt like this. This was once again one of these matches, when only two or three points decide all the match. We both were playing pretty well, we were serving well, so one or two mistakes are decisive. Today I made one or two bad decisions by me, and that’s it, the match is gone. But the way I played I think, that was really good, I’m satisfied with it. It’s still a little bit unusual for me playing on grass, because you always have to stay aggressive and play powerful tennis. This match was a really good performance from me, I lost against the world number one but had my opportunities to win, and that’s an important step for me. This was probably my best match on grass I’ve ever played.

? What are your expectations for Wimbledon? !

Well, I hope I have enough confidence going into Wimbledon and be able to continue a high-level also there. Playing like this week and to continue the same level, would be good. But it’s always tough for a tall guy like me to move on grass. That’s why certain guys always make the final there in Wimbledon. Most of the game now is played from the baseline, and that makes it so hard for tall players, because you have to move faster than on other surfaces.

Federer on Marat :

Marat was really hard to fight against, and it’s not normal for me to win such a match. You saw it when he served how much pace he can get on it – he’s so dangerous. This makes him very hard to return. I really thought I did a good job today, keeping myself cool even though I lost the second set and was quite close to win that set and the match basically.

? How will Marat’s chances in Wimbledon be?
! Better than the last few years, because the last few years haven’t been quite good for him. He always went into Wimbledon already quite pessimistic. When he lost he was always relieved, he forgot about Wimbledon and concentrated on the American summer. I think this final will fence his chances well doing well and doing a breakthrough over there, because he has really shown some good performances on grass this week.

This week was awesome =) Was so close in the two finals, that's really good news before Wimby ! Goodbye all, see ya next Week-End !

[Teresa]

Thanks for the interview Madou
( I have been trying for ages to get back on )

This match was a really good performance from me, I lost against the world number one but had my opportunities to win, and that’s an important step for me. This was probably my best match on grass I’ve ever played.

Its so encouraging to hear Marat talk so postively (esp on playing on grass ;D) and about playing at Wimbledon

And like you say it really has been an awesome week

I read somewhere that Marat refused to shake hands with the umpire. He really must have been pissed of with the umpire?? It seems like the umpire was a real jerk. Did any of you watching the match see this?

[lau]

Federer warms up with Halle title

World number one Roger Federer claimed a third successive title at the Gerry Weber Open with victory over Marat Safin in Halle on Sunday.

Federer completed the perfect preparation for Wimbledon with a 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 win over the second seed.

Safin overcame his dislike of grass to push Federer hard but crucially dropped serve early in the final set.

Federer has now won 29 consecutive matches on grass - a run stretching back three years.

"Those are great figures but what matters most to me is the fact that I have not lost any of my last 20 finals," said Federer afterwards.

"Finals are the most important matches and I'm glad I have performed so well."

And looking ahead to Wimbledon, the defending champion was understandably optimistic.

"I'm happy that Im already at such a good level so early," he said.

"I'm surprised about myself again, because I came here to Halle and after a few matches I'm already feeling great."

Safin, who at one stage smashed a racquet in a trademark outburst, admitted: "I could not have played any better.

"I cannot remember playing that well in recent years but there is no stopping Roger. It was a great match and I enjoyed it."

[dandy]

[glow=red,2,300][/glow]World number one Roger Federer warmed up for Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 victory over Australian Open champion Marat Safin as he won his third consecutive Halle Open title in Germany overnight.

The 23-year-old Swiss, who is also going for a third successive title at the All England Club later this month, produced another masterly performance on grass, his finesse and consistency proving too much for the powerful but erratic Russian.

"It was a good performance all week long so it's exactly the way I want to feel heading into Wimbledon," Federer told a news conference after securing his 29th career title.

The four-time grand slam winner has not lost in 20 finals since 2003 and extended his three-year winning streak on grass to 29. He is still short of Bjorn Borg's record of 41 over five years from 1976 to 1980.

"I'm very happy because today was difficult," Federer said. "Marat returns well and serves well on any surface so the points are quick and that's why he's so dangerous."

Second seed Safin had beaten Federer in their last meeting, saving a match point in a five-set thriller in this year's Australian Open semi-finals. They had never met on grass.

The burly Muscovite, who has been complaining of a troublesome left knee since the Indian Wells Open in March, was upset by controversial line calls during the match but showed grit to take the second set tiebreak 8-6.

Federer broke in the third game of the third set, however, and that was enough to give him victory in a high-tempo match which thrilled the spectators packed into the 12,500-seater Gerry Weber stadium.

"We were both playing really well and just one or two mistakes and that's it: the match is gone," Safin said.

"But I played really well and I'm satisfied that I came so close to winning the match," he added.

Safin said he was going to try to play at Wimbledon despite the knee problem and was heading to Italy from Halle to consult a doctor in Milan on Monday.

"It's not going to get any worse. It's going to stay like this for a very long time," Safin said. "The problem is how to get rid of the inflammation. There are some movements that are really bothering me."

The two players met again in the doubles final later on Sunday with Federer, partnering fellow countryman Yves Allegro, defeating Safin and Sweden's Joachim Johansson 7-5, 6-7, 6-3.

-Reuters


So Boodles could still be a possibility as it doesn't start until Tuesday?

[Jasmine]

madou said:

? How will Marat’s chances in Wimbledon be?
! Better than the last few years, because the last few years haven’t been quite good for him. He always went into Wimbledon already quite pessimistic. When he lost he was always relieved, he forgot about Wimbledon and concentrated on the American summer. I think this final will fence his chances well doing well and doing a breakthrough over there, because he has really shown some good performances on grass this week.

Thanks madou for the interview. Seems that Roger know Marat so well.

[Rucinski]

I'm so happy for this week too, I think it helped a lot with his confidence to winbledon and he'll be there in a better mood. Now he has to focus in his knee

[Rucinski]

Ohh Forgot something again!!! I'm so happy for the cap now, I think his hair looks awful, it's a pain to look at, sorry for be so honest

[lau]

This was posted by a German fan in another MB. I couldn´t find it in english....

I just read on the halle website that in the doubles final Roger hit Marat on the stomach and Marat got a really big blue spot there, and proudly showed his "special memory from halle" to the public ;D ;D ;D ;D

Oh, BTW, I read this on MTF, too, and laughed a lot: have you realised that Marat`s trophy looks as big as Roger`s??!!! hahaha ;D ;D ;D Maybe a just a bit smaller, but not too much, ha

From the double`s final:

[annie]

jasmine said:

rucinski said:

ohhh I forgot, I just noticed the red underwear, it's really funny, hehehe

I and my brother usully agree that Marat should play as the next "Superman" . Now he wear Red underwear?

Hollywood!! Please take a look at Mr.Marat Safin as a candidate... ;D

Wow! You think that too? I also think he'll look good wearing the "S" ...that's why i have that for my avy!!

[lau]

Safin believes Wimbledon prospects have never been better

By Iain Rogers

HALLE, Germany, June 13 (Reuters) - Australian Open champion Marat Safin believes his Wimbledon prospects have never been better after reaching his first grass court final in Germany last week.

Although the 25-year-old Russian lost the Halle Open final in straight sets(NOOOO, there were not straight sets...) to Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, Safin said the match had been his best performance on grass.

"I'm more satisfied with my game than I was four years ago when I played in the quarter-finals against (Goran) Ivanisevic and now I'm playing much, much better," Safin said.

"I hope I will have enough confidence coming into Wimbledon and be able to continue playing such a high level of tennis. Then I think I will have a chance to do well there."

Federer said Safin's performance suggested the twice grand slam winner could be a major threat at the All England Club when the tournament begins next Monday.

"His chances are better than the last few years but it depends how he gets his act together," Federer said.

"I reckon he's going to fancy his chances more of doing well. He hasn't really shown how good he is on grass except maybe this week."

Safin was scheduled to travel to Milan on Monday to consult a doctor about a troublesome knee injury.

"There's not much you can do. There is no treatment for that. It won't get worse and it won't get better," he said, adding that he planned to take four weeks off after Wimbledon to rest before the U.S. hard-court season.

"If I don't take care of my knee I won't manage to play on the hard surfaces."

Safin's Swedish coach Peter Lundgren, who previously worked with Federer, said the Russian had a chance of winning the title at the All England Club.

"It depends on the draw, how he feels in his leg and everything but the way he is playing he's got a good chance," Lungren said.

[annie]

Thar's great!! Go Get WIMBY, Marat!!

[lau]

....I`ll try to post some details about the singles final. It`s almost 24 hours after it started, but I still have the same feeling, I feel he did it very well and after this tournament I think that we can expect he`ll do it well in Wimbledon, too (oh!, I forgot I was talking about Marat and he`s a man full of surprises, lol ;D).

This are just some personal comments about the match:

*In the first set he had a slow start. He was not hitting very accurate shots. But he hit two incredible lobs I won´t forget and was doing quite well in the rallys (it`s grass Marat!!, lol). He lost some chances and Roger was playing well (not his best tennis in my opinion,though).

*Some stats about the first set: UEs: Marat 12, Roger 6 ; 1sr serve %: Marat 50%, Roger 60%; 2nd serve %, Marat 29%, Roger 70% .

*The second set was a different story.... Our best Marat was on court. He could have won that set before the TB. He had at least 4 or 5 BP and Federer had 0!!

*During the second set Marat started complaining about some close calls (he was right, in my opinion...., most of the times). Threw his racquets and you could tell he felt frustrated when he lost 2 BP. Specially a serve... was in the T and Grillotti (Romano Grillotti, chair ump.) said the lineman was right. Marat asked for the ball and showed Romano the chalk in it (you can see that in the photos). Grillotti, as usual (he never overrules), said he was not sure about it, etc,etc,etc... . That happened while Marat was serving 5 6 and 30 15, I believe.... One point more for Fed and would be SP....... I could only think: "Let it go, Marat, focus, focus......" But Roger didn´t have any BP, Marat won his game and ..... TB!!! (BTW, Marat`s 2005 record in TB is 12-5, pretty good.. )

*I`m not sure, but I think that it was during the TB that Marat shot a crossed volley and it was out. He though it was in, and again, he argued with Romano.... Romano said it was 6 inches out, but that was an exaggeration...., but it was out. . Before the third set, while Marat was seated and Federer went to the bathroom, lol, you could hear a conversation between Romano and the ATP supervisor by handy. The supervisor said that Lundgren told Safin that the crossed volley was in........ (and tha`s probably the reason why Marat was so angry about that call) But it was interesting hearing that... ;D

*The third set started with Marat serving and winning his game. And continued talking with Peter and the ump.

*Roger won his game too

*1-1 Marat serving (I think it was in this game...., but it may be in the previous too) and they called out a ball that, in my opinion was in the line.... Marat looked furious... and screamed: "ROMANOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" (funny, everybody laughed but I couldn`t stop thinking "Focus Marat, focus, calm down a little.....") And made gestures like sying to Grillotti: "You need glasses" (I couldn´t stop laughing!! ;D ;D ;D. That was really funny, his face!!!! And he lloked so angry! )

*He also (I don´t remember when, but I believe it was during 3rd set) said loudly (sp.?) to Grillotti, from where he was standing: "Every knows it was in.... (and pointing at Grillotti, the linesman and Roger said) You know, he knows, he knows..."

*Roger broke Marat`s serve Marat was not on court, he was too frustrated about the close calls.... . Roger took his chances. But I though that Marat could break him back, considering his level in the previous set...... But Roger was playing better, Marat was not doing it well in the net and in the rallys (nothing to worry about, but Federer was in the other side of the court) and he was not returning as he used to do it during the 2nd set. But he was doing fine while serving

*Roger kept that break and Marat couldn´t break back... . He was not focused... But he was not a dissaster on court. Against other player I believe he would win that match.

*The match ended, Marat didn´t shake Grillotti`s had and Federer wins another title

That was the match, in my opinion... Good tennis, especially in te second and third set!!! And Marat played some amazing tennis some times, not during the whole match, but during the second set and part of the 1st and 3rd set. . I really believe he can do it well in W, and I don´t only believe it, Marat proved himself he can do it And that makes me happy and proud of him!!