Australian Open 2005

[Damita]

me said:

JJJJJJJJEEEEEEEEEEEEJJJJJJJJJJ
He won! omg JeeJ
never seen Fed get so frustrated or throw a racket before!
whoohoo way to go Marat, only one more match now!

Vass, this smile is enough!!!

what a crazy match. thank you Nicki for going through this with me, alone i would have gone nuts ;D

I knew it, i knew it! i knew he would be the first top player to defeat Fed. I'm so glad we didn't have to wait for too long to see this happening! i'm still trembling and all, too many emotions! lol
i'm just soooooooo happy! (and i have it taped! ;D)

Congratulations Marat!!!

[christina]

pics from gotennis.com ;D


cuuuuuute!!!!!!!















ohw sh*t gotta go, class is starting, more pics later ;D

[Jasmine]

Where are you Vass? I want your critic for the match!
Where are you Maria? I want to hear you scream? (I did it myself for a few minutes after the match.)

What's a match!! I have to confess, it's more exciting than the US Open final between my sweet Pete and Andre. Here we are! I've told you I believe he can win the match. OK, Roger got injured on Fifth but the first 4 proved a lot.

And yes Marat I was with you all the whole match, wishing you luck, preying for you. I appreciate woth what you did today. And you're so adorable when you talked to the crowded in postmatch interview.

Thank you Marat and Thank you Roger, you two made an incredible tennis match. This gonna be one of the best of all time. Please take a bow from me.

I think you don't need any HBD word TODAY, you've got happiness enough.

[Andrada]

OMG,OMG,OMG, MARAT WON!!! ;D ;D ;D I'M THE HAPPIEST GIRL ON THIS PLANET!!! IT WAS AN AWESOME MATCH! I WATCHED IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND I KNEW MARAT COULD BEAT FEDERER! I JUST KNEW IT AND I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY THAT MARAT SHOWED EVERYBODY WHO IS THE BEST TENNIS PLAYER! ;D BTW,u should've seen me screaming,jumping and biting my nails during the match! I was on the point to suffer heart attacks 3 or 4 times ;D ;D ;D I skipped school to see this match ;D (yes,i know,BAD girl ;D) My classmates sent me messages to congratulate me for Marat's win,if u can believe this! Some time ago,they hadn't even heard of him,but...u know...i made them curious...talking about Marat almost...daily! ;D I think u guys understand me!
CONGRATULATIONS, MARAT & HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Our guy is 25 now! ;D
LOTS OF KISSES AND HUGS TO EVERYBODY HERE! GOD,I'M SO HAPPY! ;D

[annie]

OH MY GOSH! THAT WAS AMAZING! I cannot believe Marat just beat the Tennis god Federer…ok, I can believe it actually…it’s way better than if he becomes AO champion…(ok, not really..it’s still great if he does)and I am so happy about it!! No not happy…it’s too much of an understatement! i'm coughing so bad already coz i was screaming and cheering for all the points he won...and when he arrived at those mach points, oh my god! i was like jumping all over the place!! I can’t find words good enough to describe how I’m really feeling about this!! Oh My Gosh!!! Thank you so much God! This is just so amazing…Could this be the end of Roger Federer’s reign? And the start of the reign of our Tsar?! I certainly hope so!! Okay…I gotta go…it’s already way,way, way, past my bedtime…<br>
and Anuschka...LOL, GodMarat...that's a good one...i really hope he maintains this...so he'll really be the new Tennis God...!!!

anyway, Marat!!!




You are

and

[Magda]

waaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! I so can't believe this!!!!! ;D ;D OMG OMG!!! (Okay Magster, calm down, it was only a semi final!! He still needs to win one match!!)
Well, the first set was not very good. Fed was making some mistakes and Marat could have had some breaks but he just didn't take advantage of the fact that Roger was not on his highest level. I could feel that Marat was very uptight... Was making so easy mistakes!! The second set was better. Marat was more relaxed and showed some great shots. Unfortunately I haven't seen the third set coz I had to start cooking the lunch , but I came back in the middle of 4th set and was able to see the great tie-break!! Woohoo I was so happy when he won it!! But the 5th set was so much better!!!!!!! OMG since 5-5 I was watching the match standing on my bed and was so nervous that didn't know what to do with myself. When he had the match balls I had to cover my eyes coz I couldn't stand the pressure. But he WOOOOOON jeeeeeej!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARAT AND DON'T SCREW UP THE FINALS!!!!!!!! You made my day!!

[kasey]

I knew that all of you would feel the same way i did!!! ;D ;DIts awesome knowing how many other people were on the edge of their seats, screaming after every point and in such an emotional state...I SERIOUSLY CANT STOP SMILING lol.. ;D

[zita]

thank you god, he won ,cant write much now, no time , didn't even to get to see the final , had to see a doctor.i just drove very fast at home , just to know he'd won or not.phew!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thank god for having it on dvd, we'll be watching it over and over again,really need to see the end , the whole time when i was waititng in the dr's room , i was convincing myself not be disappointed ,just kept my fingers crossed.
Gonna be very happy tonight, can show off to my bf now!!!!
What a birthday gift he gave himself!!!!
Marat, my love, you did it, happy b-day, go and have some fun and celebrations

[Andrada]

Seventh Heaven for Safin
Thursday, 27 January, 2005
by Damian Glass


Marat Safin has taken seven match points - and saved one in a fourth-set - to send world No.1 Roger Federer out of the Centenary Australian Open with a remarkable win in an epic five-set semi-final, winning 5-7 6-4 5-7 7-6 (8-6) 9-7.

The Russian No.4 seed came back from two-sets-to-one down to upset the hot tournament favourite on Rod Laver Arena, becoming the first man through to Sunday night's men's final.

It was the first time Federer had lost to a top 10 player since October 2003 and the first time he had lost a match since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

The defending Australian Open champion looked to be through to the final when he led the fourth set tie-break 5-2. Remarkably, Safin fought back to level the tie-break 5-5 but then the Swiss brought up a match point with a delicate drop shot.

Federer was desperately close to winning the match after a superb drop volley but Safin somehow chased the ball down. He lobbed Federer but the Swiss ran back, only for his between-the-legs return to go into the net.

From that point, Safin won the next two points to win the tie-break and send the match into a deciding fifth set.

Before this semi-final, Federer had won only one of six five-set matches on Rod Laver Arena while Safin had never lost a five-set match at the venue.

The Russian began the fifth looking as if he was going to keep his winning record on Rod Laver Arena in tact and, in the fifth game, he broke Federer to take a 3-2 lead.

Games then went with serve until Safin served for the match for the first time at 5-3 but Federer saved two match points to break back.

At 4-5, Federer saved another match point on his own serve. Trailing 6-7, the Swiss maestro saved two more, displaying the hallmarks of a true champion.

Just when it looked like Safin was going to rue not having taken advantage of five match points, he served to take an 8-7 lead and then in Federer's next service game, the Russian brought up another two match points at 15-40.

Stunningly, Federer served an ace to save the sixth match point but on the seventh match point for the Safin, the Russian's return forced Federer out of court allowing him to dispatch a forehand into the open court to finally take the match and move into his third final at Melbourne Park.




• Safin took 7 match points to defeat the world No.1

• The fifth set went for 80 minutes

• Federer won 201 points, Safin 194

• The Swiss had one match point in the 4th set tie-break

• Unforced errors: Federer 59, Safin 60

• The match went for 4 hours and 28 minutes

[ANNA205]

well im so happy.i could catch the match YAY.My heart nearly stopped beating lol.cant explain wot my feeling is as well as marat's lol

im just wondering what marat is doing now.celebrating his victory and birthday?hope he dun drink too much lol

[MariaV]

Wow wow ladies, Jasmine & Zita! Haha! Don't think your bf will be too happy Zita if he'll discover you rooting for Marat so emotionally!
I have no words, basically NO WORDS. I hope to see the whole match on video tonight. I was out and thank God I wouldn't have survived the suspence. Marat's groundstrokes actually too hard for the GOD himself? The glimpses I saw from the 4th set - Marat was really better at the baseline rallies, it was totally amazing. WOW!!!!!!! I'm actually sorry Fed lost I sooooo wanted him to continue the streak but well, he couldn't have lost to a nicer guy!! ;D ;D ;D
Have you started the party already? And what do you think of the Sunday? CAN he win?
To our dearest RUTH wherever you are - I hope you get at least the video somewhere.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO MARAT AND ALL HIS SUPPORTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vass, you OK?

[MariaV]

Open-Safin says he almost buckled under pressure
Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:22 PM GMT


By Paul Tait

MELBOURNE, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Marat Safin, the man who finally stopped Roger Federer, said he almost buckled under the pressure of toppling the world number one as the Swiss saved six match points in an extraordinary Australian Open semi-final.

Safin finally prevailed on his seventh match point for a 5-7 6-4 5-7 7-6 9-7 win over Federer, the man who beat him in last year's decider and five of their other six meetings.

"You have to understand I'm not playing just a simple player, it's the number one player in the world, Roger," Safin said.

"For some reason I found the power to fight, to wait for my opportunities and eventually they came," said Safin, who was also beaten in the 2002 Australian final by Swede Thomas Johansson.

"It's too much pressure even when you have a match point because you really have to build a point to win it," he said.

Safin's win stopped an amazing run by Federer, who had been unbeaten in 26 matches stretching back to last year's Olympics and had won his last 24 matches against top 10 players.

The man known as "Big Red" is bidding for a second grand slam title to add to his 2000 U.S. Open triumph and will play either third seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia or second seed Andy Roddick in the final.

Safin began the match on his 25th birthday on Thursday and ended it four hours, 28 minutes later early on Friday having toppled the man he says set the standard for tennis.

"Roger, he brought tennis ... one level higher. Normally he toys with everybody. With all respect to other players, he does whatever he wants on the court against them," Safin said.

"It's incredible what kind of game he can play."

Safin himself saved one match point in the fourth set tiebreak with an audacious lob. Federer was left with no option but to attempt a forehand between the legs in a mad scramble to get the ball back.

"I was lucky to be honest. I had no other choice but to just lob him, the only chance he had to play was between the legs," Safin said.

"After that I couldn't take my match points and to come back to still fight to win, it's a little bit difficult," he said.

Safin hopes Sunday's final will be different to last year, when he says he had no chance of beating Federer after beating Roddick and Andre Agassi along the way.

Safin spent 21 hours, six minutes on court and 30 sets -- a grand slam record -- in reaching the 2004 final.

"Hopefully I'll have enough energy in the final to be able to fight," Safin said.

"Roddick is in great shape. Hewitt, he's going to play with his home crowd, so it's not going to be easy at all," he said.

[MariaV]

Open-Safin stuns Federer to reach final
Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:03 PM GMT
By Julian Linden
MELBOURNE, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Marat Safin brought Roger Federer's grand slam streak to a shuddering halt, beating the seemingly invincible world number one 5-7 6-4 5-7 7-6 9-7 in a heart-stopping semi-final at the Australian Open on Thursday.
Safin, runner-up in two of the last three Australian Opens including last year when Federer beat him, twice came back from a set down and saved a match point in the fourth set tiebreak before triumphing in one of Melbourne Park's greatest battles.
"It was one of the toughest matches I ever had in my life," Safin said.
"Normally he toys with all the other players ... but for some reason I found the power to fight, to wait for my opportunities and eventually they came."
Safin, whose only grand slam title was at the U.S. Open in 2000, will now play the winner of Friday's second semi-final between Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt in Sunday's final.
The women's final, to be held on Saturday, will be an all-American clash between Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport after they also clawed back from the brink of defeat to win their semi-finals on Thursday.
Williams saved three match points before beating Russian teenager Maria Sharapova 2-6 7-5 8-6 while Davenport came within two points of losing before she wore down Nathalie Dechy of France 2-6 7-6 6-4.
"Those are always the best wins, when you're down match point because you can't give up any," Williams said.
"She has a fighting spirit and I think that's gotten her to where she is today ... but I'm still the top fighter out there."
Davenport was a bundle of nerves in her match with Dechy but regained her composure when it mattered to reach her first grand slam final since 2000.
"I'm ecstatic to be back. It seems like forever for me," she said. "I was pretty despondent about the chances of getting back to a final. I haven't been in one in almost five years but I'm ready."
FOURTH TITLE
Federer had not lost a match since last year's Athens Olympics in August and was chasing his fourth grand slam title in 12 months after winning last year's Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open crowns.
The Swiss master had also won his last 24 matches against players ranked in the top 10 and was the hottest favourite in a century to win the Australian Open after romping through his first five matches without dropping a set.
Everything seemed to be going according to script when he won the opening set but the first hint of a boilover came when Safin won the second.
Federer appeared to have regained control when he won the third and held match point in the fourth but the Russian produced a perfect lob to stay alive.
Federer saved six match points in the final set but his resistance finally snapped after four 1/2 hours as Safin celebrated his 25th birthday with a victory that brought the capacity crowd to their feet.
"I live my whole life with pressure, so this is nothing different," Federer said.
"It's always going to hurt, no matter how great the match was but at least you can leave the place feeling good about yourself because I thought I gave it all I had."
Williams lost last year's Wimbledon final and the season-ending tour championship to Sharapova and seemed destined for a third defeat when the 17-year-old Siberian won the opening set and served for the match in the second and third sets.
RESILIENT WILLIAMS
But the former world number one broke back both times in a struggle reminiscent of her semi-final against Belgian Kim Clijsters in the 2003 Australian Open when she saved two match points before reaching the final and winning the title.
There was no hiding Sharapova's disappointment at wasting her opportunity but she still managed to put on a brave face.
"Of course I'm sad, and obviously it's a tough one to lose but I've got a long way ahead of me," she said.
Davenport also drew on her wealth of experience to beat Dechy, who was appearing in her first semi-final in a decade as a professional.
Dechy was two points away from winning the match in the second set tiebreaker but a double fault allowed Davenport back into the match and the current world number one seized her chance.
"That's why she's there at the top," Dechy said. "I was close to winning that match but I don't regret anything. I did the best I could."

[MariaV]

No complaints from Federer after Safin defeat
Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:03 PM GMT

Simon Cambers

MELBOURNE, Jan 28 (Reuters) - World number one Roger Federer had no complaints after he was beaten by Marat Safin in a dramatic five-set semi-final at the Australian Open on Thursday.

The defending champion saved six match points but missed a match-point chance of his own in the fourth set tiebreak before slipping to a 5-7 6-4 5-7 7-6 9-7 defeat, ending his run of 26 consecutive victories.

"Losing by having match point is always going to hurt no matter how the match was, but at least I can leave feeling good because I gave it all I've got," he said.

"He was the better player. I'm hoping for a rematch but I am thrilled to be a part of it. That's very clear.

"I haven't been involved in too many such great matches.

"It is really unfortunate. I thought I played really well and a point here and there changed the match. That was a pity but at least I gave it a fight.

"I had chances in the fifth set. I had break points and love 30s.

"But I surprised myself by coming back, because I had all these problems."

Federer needed treatment for back problems during the four-hour 28-minute match and came back from 5-3 down in the final set.

"He has a great serve and was obviously more fresh than me. I didn't think I could get back, but I had a feeling, like he gave me a second chance and I almost took it.

"I thought I would have lost the (match) point anyway, he came up with a good shot to lob me. You have to have some guts to do that, so well done.

"I just told myself I had to try everything tonight, and get two days off and be fit for the final.

"My back was fine, just a nerve which went all the way to my finger. What was bothering me most was a blister on my foot, which I had from the second set."

Safin will meet either second-seeded American Andy Roddick or third seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in Sunday's final.

[sirius]

WOOOHOOO!!!!!! happy happy ahppyyyyy......do the crazy penguin dance!!!!

i finally stopped coughing.....phew! bedtime soon. more from me tmr... i caught the last set and the TB.

DID ANYONE GET THIS ON TAPE OR DVD? cos i'd LOVE to get my hands on a full copy...