I translated Marat post match interview yesterday. Video of it was kindly posted by Natasha in the videos thread. Enjoy
Question 1. Marat could you talk a little bit about your current shape and sum up the match?
The shape is far from best but I am working. Of course if I would have played like I played the first and third set, I could have done it in two but what hapenned happened and on the whole it feels like a very weird match. Something went wrong in the beginning of the second set and I lost control (no shit, Sherlock LMAO
)
Question 2. Everyone is anticipating the super quarterfinal between you and Kolya. Could you share your expectations?
Well the match is more important for him than for me definitely. He wants to get into top 8 and go to Shanghai, so he needs this win in order to regain confidence, hold points and get back into his best shape before Madrid and Paris where he needs to do well. For me it's not so serious since I don't really need to be getting anywhere. However it would be interesting to see what form he is in right now, judging by today's match he is moving and playing well so it will be interesting to play him. I do not have high expectations and I don't think I stand a high chance of winning this one but it will be interesting definitely.
Question 3. There are a few fans in the stands which scream at the top of their lungs all the time. Does it annoy you or on the contrary help you?
Oh yeah, there are these three guys with mega loud voices in the corner. Obviously sometimes it's hard when after every single ball you yeah RUSSIA RUSSIA MARAT MARAT. sometimes it really is too much. But what can you do. They are trying.
Question 4. There was a rumour that you got ready for Bangkok in Moscow with Kafelnikov. What did that cooperation lead to?
Didn't lead to anything too good. I lost in the first round in Bangkok and he lost three matches in Holland so that didn't go too well. But he had noone to train with so I was just his hitting partner.
Question 5. Do you regret not going to Argentina for DC semifinals?
Frankly speaking, no. Because first of all I am the eldest person on that team. I already won the Cup twice and considering the shape I was in for five weeks before Argentina, I don't think I could have played much out there. So I decided not to go, plus Argentinean supporters are probably the worst of all because I understand every single word they shout out and I didn't feel like hearing all sorts of things about myself for 6 hours in a row. It was hard for Igor, a little easier for Kolya since he speaks no word of Spanish. But I honestly believe I couldn't have changed the outcome. I don't think I would have managed to bring a single point there.
Question 6. Marat let's get back to the quarterfinal. I spoke to your coach a few minutes after your last match and he said that he believed in you and thinks that you could really and truly beat anyone. Does this faith of him in you help you out?
What else did you want him to say, he is my coach. I pay him money for that. So he has to say things like that and support me even when I play badly he still needs to say that it will all be alright. I hope his faith in me is sincere and maybe he is actually right in saying what he says.
Question 7. I would like to ask for your expert opinion. Going back to USO, Murray beat Nadal in the semis. How unexpected was this for you?
I didn't even know who got through to the semifinals. I saw somewhere on the news after the final that Federer beat Murray and that's it, I didn't really follow it.
(Then she is trying to do his head in bugging him trying to get his opinion on Murray and his game and all that crap and he is saying that he doesn't pay money to watch tennis and he really doesn't think or shouldn't think about these things)
Question 7. Marat did you get bagelled often?
Yes, often, so it was nothing extraordinary really, Just the first game of the second set didn't go well and I lost a few important points for me, then the second game was lost and after there was no point fighting really. I wanted to get focused for the third set and to finish this one asap. It wouldn't have made a different should I have lost it 6-1 or 6-2, I wanted to concentrate on the third one and play the first game of it as well as possible. Pulling your hair out and throwing tantrums because you got bagelled won't get you anywhere.
Question 8. What is the schedule after Kremlin Cup for you?
Madrid, St. Petersburg and Paris.
- But a couple of years ago you said you will not play in St. Petersburg anymore? What changed?
They made me an offer I couldn't refuse.
(Questions haven't exactly been mega intelligent until this point, but now it got even better LMAO...)
Question 9. You said you found out the results of the USO the day after. There is a saying in Russia "a shoe maker without his own shoes". Does anything interest you in tennis at all at this point? Is there anything that could draw your attention and you wouldn't want to miss?
Oh come on, it's like telling a stock broker to look at the dealing screens all the time! He would start dreaming matrixes soon!
-I agree I agree. But is there anything in tennis that you wouldn't miss?
Unfortunately, no. I want to sleep in peace and not dream of a racket and a ball and a court....and Nadal on the other side of it (LMAO ;D).
Question 10. Today during your match there were some football players like Egor Titov and Alexander Mostovoy in the stands. Are you guys friends and did you use to go to their matches too when they played for Spartak?
No, they never used to give me tickets. We do hang out together every once in a while, they are real fun guys, so I asked them to come and support. They have a very good relationship with Tarpischev so they decided to use this opportunity to come and watch some live tennis without having to pay for it.
Last question. Marat, wages of tennis players grew substantially throughout the years. They used to start at 15 thousand dollars and now it's a totally different story. Do you think the global economy crisis would have its impact on the tennis?
15 thousand dollars... You do have to take inflation into account, When was it 15 thousand? in 1880s? I don't think it will really effect tennis. The only thing I predict is having trouble with major sponsors. Like Sony Ericsson for WTA, we hardly have anyone left. Mercedes is leaving and there are loads of changes in the ATP itself. Head of ATP is gone and we don't have one now, so it's a hard period. However tournaments have long-term sponsorship contracts which they conclude for 5,8,10 years. Maybe some tournaments will suffer from it, but on the whole I don't think there is a reason for worry.
The End
So we need to get ready for a long night.
Everyone is doing great and weather hasn't been too shabby all week too, not that we spend too much time outside but anyway LOL.
"Good night everybody. I wish you all sweet dreams and no nightmares. If you're not alone, I wish that the person next to you loves you very much, and hopefully for you, you feel the same for the other person, otherwise you will have a tough time falling asleep." MS 
