|
|
Post by carole on Aug 6, 2006 0:43:26 GMT 3
Okay that's right to say a semi-final is huge if you think of all the way he has made with all the tough losses... But i've seen the match and i can't take it so easy, i'm disappointed because it's again a match that he had in his hands and let go...
He was leading 3-1 in the first, was up in the TB and then again 4-2 in the second set... And suddenly here we go again for the dance of the forehands flying everywhere except on the court.
For sure he's playing much better than the past few months but the way is still long. Confidence is lacking and it's obvious in each shot...
So i don't know : while watching i was getting mad at him by seeing that each he was leading he was unable to keep going... But at the same time it's a big step on the way back to the top so... But please Marat, make something for your forehand !!!!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by bia2209 on Aug 6, 2006 0:52:30 GMT 3
Well everyone has the right to an opinion but I have to say I disagree Carole but only about the reason why he let those leads slip. At this stage I don't really think it's lack of confidence. Or at least today I don't think it was. Even when he's playing his best, Marat always loses his focus at some stage or another. That's just how he is.
He played well today but being a guy who goes for his shots he is always going to be vulnerable to a guy like Clement that 1) hardly makes mistakes and 2) uses Marat's own power against him by counterhitting all the time.
|
|
|
|
Post by emma on Aug 6, 2006 1:00:19 GMT 3
|
|
|
|
Post by bia2209 on Aug 6, 2006 1:03:22 GMT 3
|
|
|
|
Post by tina on Aug 6, 2006 1:10:41 GMT 3
|
|
|
|
Post by cynful21 on Aug 6, 2006 6:00:13 GMT 3
I'm definitely proud with how he played in this tourniment, including today's game. He fought hard and played some brilliant tennis. Sure he lost focus in today's match, but that's the way he is and how he plays. He just needs to work on recovering from his breakdowns so he can get back in the match. And I think he's improved on that since wimbledon.  His play has improved in each tourny, so hopefully we'll be seeing him do as well, if not better, at the next one. GO MARAT! P.S. it was so good to see him play again on tv. Dayum that man is lookin hot. I want to get a pic of him kicking the ball out of the court. lol |
|
|
|
Post by yse on Aug 6, 2006 6:06:37 GMT 3
|
|
|
|
Post by carole on Aug 6, 2006 7:09:59 GMT 3
Well, i'm okay for the lack of focus thing, but i can't help notice that it happens in that match each time he was in position to take a full advantage and to maybe kill the set so i'm not sure it's a coincidence...
For sure he fought and that was great to see ! But to win that kind of battle against a guy who is defending so well you have to, at a moment, trusting yourself enough to take the big risk at the big moments, i just don't think that Marat was trusting himself 100% yesterday to do that..
But it's getting better and better so maybe will we have a fantastic end of season!
|
|
|
|
Post by bia2209 on Aug 6, 2006 7:39:25 GMT 3
Now I think you've hit it spot on Carole. Marat needs to trust himself a bit more becasue the tennis is in his blood. But it's strange casue sometimes you want him to think a bit more about what he is doing on the court and other times you wish he'd think less and just do what comes naturally.
But that's Marat for you...full of contradictions. Thats why we love him.
|
|
|
|
Post by carole on Aug 6, 2006 7:47:45 GMT 3
Now I think you've hit it spot on Carole. Marat needs to trust himself a bit more becasue the tennis is in his blood. But it's strange casue sometimes you want him to think a bit more about what he is doing on the court and other times you wish he'd think less and just do what comes naturally. But that's Marat for you...full of contradictions. Thats why we love him. You're completely right, but even if it's strange maybe that's not so at the opposite... I think that when we say "please Marat focus on what you're doing" it's more "please Marat don't be that nervous or please don't let doubts make your mind go away or don't get frustrated and then starting to think you're not good enough"... So it's a little bit the same than "let your shots make their way wthout thinking too much... |
|
|
|
Post by emma on Aug 6, 2006 11:12:38 GMT 3
|
|
|
|
Post by ginapants on Aug 6, 2006 11:28:48 GMT 3
|
|
|
|
Post by davis on Aug 6, 2006 12:35:37 GMT 3
From MaratSafin.com: "It's the best tournament I've played for
more than a year," said Safin. "I'm very
happy to finally find my game. I found
the winning spirit which is the key to
success." If he's happy, then I'm happy. ;D Let's go to Toronto! P.S.: Ladies, thanks for all the lovely pictures!  |
|
|
|
Post by carole on Aug 6, 2006 14:24:02 GMT 3
Updated: Aug. 5, 2006, 10:22 PM ET Clement to face Murray in Legg Mason finalAssociated Press WASHINGTON -- Marat Safin was at his umpire-berating, racket-spiking, error-spraying worst Saturday, and Arnaud Clement took full advantage.  Happy to be on hard courts, Clement came back from a deficit in each set to beat Safin 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) and reach the final in the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. It was a second consecutive victory over a past U.S. Open champion for the 11th-seeded Frenchman, who upset Lleyton Hewitt in the quarterfinals. Clement's opponent in Sunday's final will be No. 8 Andy Murray of Britain, who won the last five games to eliminate No. 7 Dmitry Tursunov of Russia 6-2, 7-5. Clement and Murray each will be seeking a second title of the season. Murray -- at his first tournament with coach Brad Gilbert -- had a five-game run in the first set, too, and was broken only once Saturday. "If I play like I did tonight, I've got a good chance of winning" the title, said Murray, who limited his unforced errors to 17, while Tursunov had 36. Safin finished with 40 unforced errors -- 18 more than Clement. Sometimes, Clement said, "against Marat, you have no chance: He can break, he can serve, he can do everything. But sometimes, and I know it, he can make a few mistakes in a row, and I know I just have to be focused."As often happens with Safin, he appeared distracted at times, including an argument with chair umpire Jake Garner about whether the Russian took too long to decide whether to challenge a call midway through the first set. "His job is not to interrupt our game by making some decisions and some comments," Safin said later. "He should just do his job." Safin received a warning for smacking a ball in anger after dropping a point in the second set, and he later reared back and cracked his racket on the court after missing a forehand. "It's just kind of disappointing for me, this kind of match that slipped away," said Safin, who led 3-1 in the first set and 4-2 in the second. "I had my chances. I should have won in two sets, 6-3, 6-4." He put some blame on playing in the afternoon, instead of at night, when his first four matches here were held. Safin said he got used to a routine of practicing in the morning, sleeping during the day, then playing under the lights. Clement's lone title of 2006 came on hard courts in February at Marseille, France, when he beat French Open champion Rafael Nadal along the way. But Clement went 5-9 after that before reeling off four wins in a row at this tuneup for the U.S. Open, which starts Aug. 28. He's had success on hard courts in the past, reaching the final of the 2001 Australian Open. "My game is better on hard courts, when it's faster," said Clement, who beat Murray at last year's U.S. Open in five sets, their only previous meeting. Safin won the 2000 U.S. Open and the 2005 Australian Open, and used to be No. 1. But a series of injuries, including a bad left knee that kept him off the tour from last August until February, dropped his ranking to 92nd.
Still, he looked good here in the early rounds, and had won five tiebreakers in a row before faltering in both against Clement.In the first, Safin went up 4-2, but eventually handed over Clement's fourth set point by double-faulting, then bowed his head. On the next point, Safin lunged for a forehand volley that hit the net to end the set.  In the second, Safin put an easy backhand into the net to fall behind 5-3, put a backhand return in the net on a 97 mph serve to make it 6-4, then missed a backhand to end the match after 2 hours, 2 minutes. In the later semifinal, Tursunov saved two break points in the opening game for a 1-0 lead, and then Murray took control, winning eight of the next nine points to start the streak that carried him to a 5-1 advantage. Tursunov used three winners to break Murray for a 4-2 lead in the second set, then held for 5-2. But he wouldn't win another game, getting broken when he served for the set at 5-3 -- slipping as he tried to get to a backhand passing winner on a 20-stroke exchange on break point -- and again when Murray hit a backhand winner to go up 6-5. For Murray, a career-best 35th in the rankings, it was his 13th victory in his last 16 matches. He won his first tour title on hard courts at San Jose, Calif., in February, defeating Andy Roddick and Hewitt en route. "I'll be a little more relaxed this time," the 19-year-old Scot said. "I have a bit more experience than I did then, and now I know I can win a tournament." __________________ |
|
|
|
Post by safinbgfan on Aug 6, 2006 14:48:10 GMT 3
Thanks for the pics and the reports |
|
)but i m proud on him !!!!go marat 
Sixpack guard 
