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Post by iLuV_ARod_&_MaRaT on Jun 17, 2005 11:23:09 GMT 3
3 DAYS TO GO BEFORE WIMBLEDON....
Go Marat!!!
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Post by Teresa on Jun 17, 2005 15:28:52 GMT 3
Wimbledon-Safin ventures into personal chamber of horrors
Fri Jun 17, 2005 2:04 AM BST
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By Martyn Herman
LONDON, June 17 (Reuters) - For Australian Open champion Marat Safin the grasscourt season represents something akin to a chamber of horrors.
His five previous visits to the treacherous lawns of Wimbledon have been instantly forgettable with two first-round and two second-round defeats.
Only a quarter-final run in 2001, when he lost to eventual champion Goran Ivanisevic, offered any evidence that the combustible Russian had come to terms with the surface.
After losing his head, and the match, against Tommy Robredo in the fourth round of the French Open recently, Safin looked about as enthusiastic as a man facing root-canal treatment when asked about the looming grasscourt grand slam.
"Not many players can play on it (grass). You can try...you can have a good draw," said the deep-thinking resident of Monte Carlo.
"When you don't play a grass-court specialist it can look like you can play tennis but when you're playing somebody good on grass, it's tough.
"It's a mental problem for me, every time I go on grass I cannot move, I feel like I'm going to fall over every single time. The bounces are too low, bad bounces, it's raining all the time...You know, the whole thing makes me go nuts.
"There's only a few people who can play on this thing, and I'm not one of them."
COLOURFUL PERSONALITY
Strange then that less than a fortnight later the Russian reached the final, on grass, in Halle where only world number one Roger Federer, unbeatable on the surface for more than two years, stopped him.
In a sport crying out for colourful personalities, Safin fits the bill perfectly.
Not only does the 25-year-old boast one of the most eye-catching styles in the sport -- a huge serve and effortless power off the ground -- his expressive body language, penchant for racket smashing and glamour-model entourage make him compulsive viewing.
Whatever he might say about grass, there is something about the twinkle in his eye that gives the impression that he is fascinated by the unconventional challenge it represents.
His performance in Halle even suggested he might arrive at Wimbledon with slightly higher expectations than he would like to admit.
"That was my best match ever on grass, I don't know the last time I played such great tennis," Safin said after his narrow defeat by Federer in Halle.
"I hope to do well at Wimbledon, you have to have belief in yourself on grass. I played the best player in the world and I came close to beating him."
Should his knee hold out -- he has a niggling injury that requires surgery -- and if he survives a tough-looking early draw, Safin might get another crack at Federer in the quarter-finals.
If that proves the case the burly Russian may well have exorcised his grass-court demons for good.
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Post by annie on Jun 17, 2005 15:51:36 GMT 3
LOL I am having a strange feeling of deja vu...just read it in the Boodles thread LMAO
Good to see ya Teresa!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by tall_one on Jun 17, 2005 18:35:44 GMT 3
... glamour-model entourage make him compulsive viewing. gee i never knew that Rausa & Dinara were glamour models  |
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Post by Jehaan on Jun 17, 2005 18:38:10 GMT 3
Sooo, who's going to Wimbledon this year?? I'm going on the first and second days, anyone else??
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Post by tall_one on Jun 17, 2005 18:48:03 GMT 3
If Paradorn can't make it at wimby, who'll be replacing him? a lucky loser, which means 1 of these 16 guys. My brain keps telling me the highest ranked of the lucky losers gets the 1st spot in the main draw so Justin Gimelstob would get the 1st spot, then Goldstein but i'm not sure if that is true or not Prospective Lucky LosersGilles Simon Amer Delic Justin Gimelstob (3) Paul Goldstein (4) Alejandro Falla Federico Luzzi Filip Prpic Arvind Parmar Nicolas Mahut Fernando Vicente (19) Daniele Bracciali Uros Vico Jan-Michael Gambill Sergiy Stakhovsky Wesley Moodie Michael Ryderstedt |
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Post by Teresa on Jun 17, 2005 18:56:51 GMT 3
... glamour-model entourage make him compulsive viewing. gee i never knew that Rausa & Dinara were glamour models Maybe not, but then they are not the only ones who form Marat's entourage ;D |
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Post by Teresa on Jun 17, 2005 19:00:19 GMT 3
If Paradorn can't make it at wimby, who'll be replacing him? a lucky loser, which means 1 of these 16 guys. My brain keps telling me the highest ranked of the lucky losers gets the 1st spot in the main draw so Justin Gimelstob would get the 1st spot, then Goldstein but i'm not sure if that is true or not Prospective Lucky LosersGilles Simon Amer Delic Justin Gimelstob (3) Paul Goldstein (4) Alejandro Falla Federico Luzzi Filip Prpic Arvind Parmar Nicolas Mahut Fernando Vicente (19) Daniele Bracciali Uros Vico Jan-Michael Gambill Sergiy Stakhovsky Wesley Moodie Michael Ryderstedt WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? WHY? AND IS IT TRUE?  Why cant they just give him a bye ;D a woman can ask can't she |
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Post by Madou on Jun 17, 2005 19:44:41 GMT 3
So true, I always find that like Andre, Federer always seems to get easy draws.......it drives me crazy. Well, not always, remember just Roland Garros this year, Fede was the one with the toughest draw (He had many good clay players in his quarters, like Moya, Nalb', Gonzalez... I don't remember all of them but it was terrific !), even tougher than Marat's one who still got the second most difficult one. The article you gave was interesting Teresa, but the guy -or girl- writing made a mistake: Marat's gonna meet Roger in the semis ^^ |
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Post by Teresa on Jun 17, 2005 19:53:09 GMT 3
OKAY I posted this here cause it mentions Marat and it is an interesting article However......... I have ALSO posted it on the Dinara and other players thread for those of you who may want to discuss any of the other players mentioned..........you can do so over there ;D 10 burning questions for Wimbledon Dan C. Weil / Special to FOXSports.com The tennis tour's grass-court season is short, lasting only five weeks. But it peaks with the world's most historically prestigious event — Wimbledon. The tournament at London's All England Club runs June 20-July 3. Grass courts highly reward athleticism, so it should be quite exciting. Here are 10 Burning Questions heading into the Big W. 1. Can Roger Federer pull a three-peat? Yes, the Swiss wunderkind is a strong favorite to take the title for a third straight year. He has taken over from Pete Sampras, who won Wimbledon a record-sharing seven times, as king of the grass. Federer's game combines genius and serenity. He can play aggressively from the baseline, serve and volley and defend well when necessary. Last week, he won a Wimbledon tune-up tournament in Germany, giving him 29 straight match wins on grass. With that record and only three losses this year, Federer comes into the tournament with huge confidence and leaves the other players with doubt that they can beat him. 2. Can Maria Sharapova win again on the women's side? Maria Sharapova is looking to capture her second consecutive Wimbledon title. (Sang Tan / Associated Press) Yes, though she isn't the overwhelming favorite that Federer is. Last year, at age 17, she shocked the world by taking down Serena Williams in the final. The Russian native has backed it up since, rising to No. 2 in the world rankings. Her powerful serve and booming, flat groundstrokes put opponents on the defensive. She also keeps the ball low, which is very effective on grass. And Sharapova is a very feisty competitor. She won a Wimbledon tune-up event last week without playing her best tennis. So she comes to London with a lot of self-belief. 3. Can Andy Roddick challenge Federer for the crown? Yes. Roddick has had his ups and downs over the past year. But the American gave Federer a strong run for his money in last year's Wimbledon final. And Roddick enters Wimbledon with some confidence of his own, winning a tune-up tournament in London last week for the third year in a row. The strengths of his game remain a huge serve and forehand. He has worked hard to improve his volley, though it's not always a pretty sight. Roddick would have an edge over almost everyone except Federer. But the world number one would have to slip in his level of play for Roddick to beat him. 4. Can Justine Henin-Hardenne win her first Wimbledon? Yes. She is an equal favorite with Sharapova. Having just won the French Open, the Belgian has to feel good about her game. She has the most all-around ability on the women's side, which will serve her particularly well at Wimbledon. Her groundstrokes are strong and varied, and her movement is impressive. She can volley well when she is willing to come to the net and is perhaps the tour's most intense competitor. But she has suffered from a variety of injuries over the past year and isn't playing any Wimbledon tune-ups. So she may be a bit vulnerable. 5. Can Lleyton Hewitt threaten for the title? Yes. But it's hard to know exactly what the feisty Australian will bring to the table. He won Wimbledon in 2002, with an aggressive baseline game. His retrieval skills are amazing, and he never gives up. But a cracked rib kept him out of the French Open, and he lost in the quarterfinals of a Wimbledon tune-up last week to hard-serving Ivo Karlovic. Hewitt plays with a chip on his shoulder, which hasn't always served him well the past couple years. And Federer has beaten him seven straight times. 6. Can Lindsay Davenport live up to her top seed? That will be tough. The American won Wimbledon in 1999. But despite her No. 1 ranking, Davenport hasn't won a Grand Slam tournament since 2000. Her game certainly works well on grass. She possesses power-packed groundstrokes and a cannon serve. The issue with Davenport seems to be self-belief against the top players. When those matches start to turn against her, she often slumps her shoulders, puts an anguished look on her face and appears to give in to defeat. She'll have a tough time against the other top favorites.
7. Can Marat Safin have an impact?
Yes, but he faces a steep climb to win the tournament. Safin advanced to the finals of the Wimbledon tune-up in Germany last week, losing to Federer in a hard-fought match. The Russian has a strong game for grass, built around power with superb all-around skills. However, Safin is fighting a knee injury, and his fragile psyche is subject to frequent meltdowns. After losing in the first round of Wimbledon last year, he briefly suggested he wouldn't return. Still, he has a better attitude about it this year and beat Federer at the Australian Open in January.
8. Can the Williams sisters win again? Yes, but they aren't the favorites like they once were, particularly Venus. Serena won Wimbledon in 2002-2003, and she took the Australian Open this year. But the victory down under was due more to force of will than scintillating tennis. Serena hasn't won a tournament since and skipped the French Open with a sprained ankle. Venus hasn't conquered a Grand Slam event in four years. Both sisters seem pre-occupied with outside interests, particularly fashion. But with their big-hitting games, if either Williams gets hot, she's a threat to win the whole thing. And Serena may have the confidence to get through big matches. 9. Can Rafael Nadal do damage? Yes, but he's unlikely to win the tournament. The 19-year-old Spaniard was awesome in taking the French Open. He cares about performing well at Wimbledon, unlike some past French Open champs, and isn't afraid to volley. But Nadal's big swing on the forehand and extreme grip changes make grass a difficult surface, because the ball will come to him more quickly than on other surfaces. He lost in the first round of the Wimbledon tune-up in Germany last week. Nadal is vulnerable to big servers, though his speed, strokes and attitude could carry him to Wimbledon's second week. 10. Can Tim Henman finally win Wimbledon? No, but you have to respect his effort. Nearly all of Britain seems to root hard for its native son, almost as if he can bring back the country's lost empire. Alas, he's never reached the final, though he has made it to at least the quarterfinals eight times. Henman has a beautiful athletic game, serving and volleying with panache. But at age 30, his time is running out. It would be a wonderful story for Tiger Tim to win, but fairy tales don't often come true. Poor Tiger Tim  |
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Post by Madou on Jun 17, 2005 20:08:40 GMT 3
They're a bit harsh with Tim, I think he has a chance to win. In my opinion there are 5 people likely to win Wimby this year: Roger (I give him a probability of 50%), Andy (20%), Marat (10%), Lleyton (10%) and Tim (10% too).
Well we'll see... SOON !
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Post by pistachio on Jun 17, 2005 20:22:29 GMT 3
Dear Marat,
Pleassss DO NOT stop in First round.
Yes I'm a patriot but tennis is not National Sport, so DO NOT hesitage to knock Srichaphan
JasmineOMG OMG OMG  You know my face turned when I first saw the draw. If Marat can't get through Srichaphan, I'll be so embarrassed  and sad  . Every newspapers in Thailand will put this on Headline, my friends will repeat to me again and again.  I can't take it. So for God sake! The victory must be yours, Marat.  ;D Just kidding, I believe Marat will WON. i feel the same way too Jasmine,almost of my friends won't be my side cuz they always support Paradorn for just one reason"HE'S THAI"( :-Xi'm thai too) but i can't pretend that i support Paradorn and will be happy if he can take victory over MARAT!!!  Totally agree with u that" tennis is not National Sport". udachi MARAT!!! ;D ;D |
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Post by Teresa on Jun 17, 2005 21:23:58 GMT 3
. The article you gave was interesting Teresa, but the guy -or girl- writing made a mistake: Marat's gonna meet Roger in the semis ^^ HAHAAHAAAAA Madou thats the spirit How you been ;D |
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Laney
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Post by Laney on Jun 17, 2005 21:51:10 GMT 3
WIMBLEDON HERE YOU COME! I'm getting sooooo excited about the whole thing!! Anyway, this is what I found on the bbc website, under "men to watch @ wimbledon": ]MARAT SAFIN
Odds: 16/1
Also known as - "Headless Horseman" - so called by veteran American journalist/commentator Bud Collins because of the Russian's unpredictability.
Marat? Unpredictable? Nooooooo!! 
Wimbledon high - Er...
Wimbledon low - Hard to pick one, but how about last year's first-round defeat to obscure Russian Dmitry Tursunov?
In the players' box - Former Russian president Boris Yeltsin is a big fan and even mixed it with the ordinary folk on Court Two last year to see him in action. On his run to the 2002 Aussie Open final, Safin was supported by a bevy of blonde admirers, nicknamed the Safinettes.
Tears or tantrums? - Safin is justifiably proud of his record for breaking racquets. He estimates he has destroyed over 300 in his career.
Look out for - ...him turning up. After last year's horror show, a sulking Safin said: "I hate this. I give up on Wimbledon." [/b][/color] They don't seem to have a lot of faith in him, but hey, they're the ones hoping Timmie Henman's gonna win this year! ;D |
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Laney
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Post by Laney on Jun 17, 2005 21:54:03 GMT 3
And from the same BBC sports page: his Wimbledon profile
:"I give up on Wimbledon," was the parting shot from Marat Safin after a first-round loss last year.
Hopefully, the Russian will not carry out that threat as he brings an element of temperamental unpredictability that harks back to the days of McEnroe and Connors.
However, his performances on grass have to date fallen some way short of those great names and it is questionable whether he has the desire to change that.
What is not in question is Safin's ability and the fact that he could surely be a threat at all four Grand Slams if he wished.
Indeed, he reached the last eight of Wimbledon as a 20-year-old before losing to the inspired Goran Ivanisevic.
Safin re-established himself as one of the very best with victory at the Australian Open this year, beating Roger Federer on the way.
But his form then collapsed during the clay-court season and it is anyone's guess how he will be feeling at SW19. He probably doesn't know himself.
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and sad 
. Every newspapers in Thailand will put this on Headline, my friends will repeat to me again and again. 
I can't take it.
