Articles about Marat

[ANNA205]

Hey everyone!
I dunno if someone has post this one but i think repeat isn't important rite.I can't check the toronto master series to answer my question but it's too long

Safin Crashes, Confuses Canadians

Combined Reports

Andrew Wallace / Reuters

Safin serving during his first-round loss to Nicolas Kiefer at the Tennis Masters Canada tournament in Toronto on Wednesday.


TORONTO -- Marat Safin, seeded 15th, was ousted in the first round of the $2.5 million Masters Canada on Wednesday, before offering reporters a bizarre explanation of his current state of mind.

Meanwhile, compatriot Mikhail Youzhny upset the tournament's No. 6 seed and last year's finalist David Nalbandian 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The in-form Nicolas Kiefer of Germany, twice a finalist this month, overcame Safin 6-7 (7-3), 6-4, 7-6 (7-2).

But Safin was his own worst enemy.

The Russian rallied from 4-1 down in the first set to take the tiebreaker 7-3 on an unreturnable serve, then was overtaken in the second set, losing the last three games from 4-3 up.

In the last set, the pair forced another tiebreaker, and Kiefer ran away with it 7-2 thanks in part to soft Safin errors.

After his loss, Safin had difficulty getting explaining his state of mind to journalists, Canada Press reported.

Safin was asked how he's different now from how he was during his last visit here two years ago, when, the reporter suggested, the Russian seemed to be fighting himself a lot.

"I'm not fighting with myself," he said. "Oh my God, that's how I am."

He then proceeded with a baffling fable.

"You know the story about the hippo?" he said. "The hippo comes to the monkey and said, 'Listen, I'm not a hippo.'

"He said, but he's still a hippo. He said, but look at you, you're painted like a zebra but you are a hippo. So then he goes, you know, like I want to be a leopard. So he put the colors on him and he comes to the monkey and said, 'But, sorry, you are a hippo.'

"So, in the end, he comes and said, 'I'm happy to be a hippo.' This is who I am, so I have to be who I am and he's happy being a hippo."

Faced with baffled journalists, he was forced to offer a translation.

"I'm happy with the way I am. That's me, that's my tennis," he said.

"I'm not fighting anything, and I'm just trying to play and I'm trying to have fun.

"Sometimes I have ups, sometimes I have downs. But I'm trying, you know, to make my life easier and enjoy it, but it's a difficult job."

In all, seven seeds were beaten Wednesday, while top-seeded Roger Federer, defending champion Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Carlos Moya and Tim Henman advanced to the second round.

As well as Safin and Nalbandian, French Open champion Gaston Gaudio, runner-up Guillermo Coria were both eliminated.

No. 1 seed Federer beat Morocco's Hicham Arazi 6-3, 7-5, finishing a match he had started Tuesday night before rain ended play after he had won the first set.

Second-seeded Roddick, fresh from winning another RCA Championships title in Indianapolis at the weekend, dispatched French qualifier Julien Benneteau 6-4, 6-2 for his 50th match win of the year.

(AP, MT)

[ANNA205]

The majority of professional coaches aren't tied to long-term contracts entitling them to a slice of their charges prize money, and the concept of severance pay is foreign to many. This season the world number one Roger Federer has travelled without a coach, collecting two major titles and seven overall.


The Swiss is an exception amongst the world's top ten, who often need the reassurance and guidance of a former player or long-term friend.

Federer fired his coach Peter Lundgren last December, but was soon hired by Russian Marat Safin, who once employed five coaches in one year.

A coach will travel for up to 30 weeks of the year, deal with the stringing of racquets, hotel and transport arrangements and sometimes the type of foods the player eats.

THEGILBERT PHILIOSOPHY

Brad Gilbert was a consistent performer during his professional career beating and worrying the very best. But, it was his partnership as coach to Andre Agassi that sealed his legend.

Agassi won six major singles titles and an Olympic gold medal in an eight-year partnership with the former world number four.

But now 42-year-old Gilbert is working with Andy Roddick, and in the past 12 months has helped the American to the 2003 U.S. Open and eight other titles.

"I went grey with Andre. I'll probably lose my hair with Andy," Gilbert sighed.

Gilbert explained his coaching philosophy at in the Rexall Centre at the Toronto Masters.

"People hit the panic button," says Gilbert, "sometimes the scenery changes real quickly and (the player) puts the blame on someone else."

"I have no fear of losing my job or getting fired."

"Andre was an amazing guy. He taught me a ton. And now I get a chance to work with Andy, who's another guy who's got a heart of gold."

WINNING ULGY

Gilbert tormented John McEnroe in his 14-year professional career, winning 20 tournaments.

When Ivan Lendl beat Gilbert for the 16th time in 16 tries, the Czech snorted: "I could be on my deathbed with a 110-degree temperature and still beat you."

Agassi explains: "Brad taught me how to win when it got ugly during a match. He taught me how to fight."

While 21-year-old Roddick, who has reached the quarterfinal stage in Toronto in the defence of his Masters Series title, says: "Brad's style is really pretty simple.

"We make fun of each other constantly. We talk sports. We go to dinner. We have a lot of fun.... Then we go to business and work really hard."

Gilbert has worked wonders with Roddick's game, since taking over from Frenchman Tarik Benhabiles, in June 2003.

"A lot of people think I'm some guru, but I'm not," says Gilbert.

"Because I don't have any crazy theories. I just believe in hard work. And I don't forget that I'm working with a guy who's amazingly talented."

[sirius]

ANNA205 said:

Brad Gilbert was a consistent performer during his professional career beating and worrying the very best. But, it was his partnership as coach to Andre Agassi that sealed his legend.

legend for talking incessantly?

[ANNA205]

Safin Collects the Appearance Fee and Runs at ATP Sopot

Posted on August 12, 2004

Top-seeded Marat Safin, who has already voiced his displeasure at men's professional tennis being part of next week's Athens Olympics, decided he would take an early break from the ATP stop in Sopot Wednesday, lying down in front of Spanish comer Marc Lopez in a meek 6-3, 6-2 display.

"I didn't expect him to play so well," Safin said. "He was a little bit lucky with the break in the first. I felt a little unlucky, he started to play with more confidence. I was trying to play too fast to keep the points short. I tried to play really fast as otherwise when you start to play long rallies, he plays much better."

Safin says he played Sopot on the claycourts a week before the Olympics on hardcourt in an effort to put more points on the board.

"I came here because it was in my schedule, because I wanted to play here and it's important to play in Houston (Masters Cup) at the end of the year," Safin said. "So every tournament I play is important for the points. The Olympics is not until next week, I will arrive there and there is plenty of time."

Lopez had a 7-10 record on the year entering the match with Safin.






Argentine Juan "The Principality" Monaco (d. Rosset) was another un-seed into the quarters Wednesday, while (6)Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal eased by France's Arnaud Di Pascuale, and (Q)Franco "The Squirrel" Squillari beat Polish wildcard Lukasz Kubot.

On tap for today are (3)Ferrer vs. Acasuso, (Q)Mantilla vs. Portas in an all-ESP, (Q)Vanek vs. Koubek, and Mutis vs. Garcia.

[ivy]

I think that Marat was just saying BS with all that I'm going to win.

He's definetly going to put the Olympics on his priority list, even though he doesn't like them.

Justine WON!!

[sirius]

new chinese article about maratik
www.tennis.com.cn/special/player/20040825/5054.asp

i'm feeling lazy...don't feel like translating tonight.......maybe tmr....or maybe someone else will do it for me...lol...... babelfish for now my dears!

changed my mind...will do it for u lovely dears.... give me erm...15minutes.

[sirius]

ok...i know i took more than 15 minutes... but here goes...

Safin -- The Angry Tsar

Want to see a racquet smashed? Just watch every Safin match!

Because dad Misha was a coach in a small tennis club in Moscow, Safin began training at age 6. Mum Islanova was his coach from age 6 to 13. Safin also has a sister, Safina, who is 6 years his junior. She too, is coached by their mother and has amassed 2 WTA singles titles to date. Since his childhood, Safin has enjoyed both football and basketball. The football club Spartak Moscow and NBA start O’Neal count amongst his favourites. Between age 13 to 19, Safin spent most of his time training in Valencia, Spain, with several of his present Spanish colleagues. In 1998, he was voted ATP’s newcomer of the year and in the following year, was voted the Most Improved Player of the Year. While representing Russia in the Davis Cup, his 17 wins and 13 losses (of which he’s 11-10 in singles) might not be impressive, he was nevertheless a member of the cup winning team in 2002. In 2000, Safin was one of “People” magazine’s “Most Intriguing Men” and also won the Laureus “Newcomer Award”. Safin’s working relationship with his coaches do not usually last long. In the last 3 seasons, he has employed a total of 5 coaches and is currently working with Lundgren, who was Federer’s coach for several years.

No one will doubt Safin’s ability, or his determination, but his inconsistent results proves to us that emotions and victory do not often go hand in hand. His ambitious words at last year’s China Open still rings in our ears (he’d said that the only reason Roddick won the US Open was because of his absence), but 2004 has not been much of a satisfaction for his fans. He’s had less than 50% victories in his matches and apart from the AO, only managed to get into the 4th round at RG and at Wimbledon, crashed out in the 1st round. In the past 8 months, he has been unable to get past the 3rd round in most of the tournaments he’s entered. Last year, the tennis Tsar visited the China Open. This year, he should make full use of the opportunity to come here once again and improve on his game. (or sth along those lines)

[Damita]

Article from www.timesonline.co.uk

November 22, 2004

Coach can inspire Safin to master Wimbledon

From Neil Harman, Tennis Correspondent in Houston


IN THEIR minds’ eyes, Tim Henman, Andy Roddick and, perhaps, Marat Safin have seen themselves cradling the most famous cup in tennis. Roddick was perilously close to the Wimbledon title this year, Henman concludes that he will be judged in many quarters by whether he wins it or not and Safin insists it will never happen and there is no point thinking that it could.

As the three men departed this absorbing Masters Cup — Henman having been outclassed by Safin in the final round robin, Safin succumbing to Roger Federer after a tumultuous 20-18 tie-break in their semi-final and Roddick’s brain freezing under a controlled baseline barrage from Lleyton Hewitt — their priorities for the months ahead were beginning to form.

Roddick has a Davis Cup final date next week and if they show the Spaniards a tape of the American losing the final 20 points to Hewitt — no one could recall a player of his repute crumbling so completely — they will believe they only have to show up in Seville to win. If Roddick could steer the United States to victory, it would rank above any of his past achievements. Henman finished in the top ten for the sixth time in his career, and, at No 6, completes 2004 with his highest year-end ranking. Staying in the top pack for another year will be enormous testament to him.

Safin is more complex. As recently as August, he was a picture of forlorn hope, not knowing where his career was going and then chose Peter Lundgren, erstwhile coach to Federer, to join his entourage — and a light was switched on. Lundgren has done far better than a succession of head-shaking motivators who could not get into the Russian’s mind and release the talent that has stagnated since the 2000 US Open.

Safin won the final two Masters Series events this year and played beautifully here. “We will go away and work on his volleys and his forehand especially,” Lundgren said. “I know what Marat has said about Wimbledon but it is an attitude of mind. Maybe he says these things but does not really believe them himself.” As far as the 24-year-old Russian is concerned, there is no point playing on grass in the run-up to the championships because it would be a waste of time.

“I’m not good on the surface, it makes me crazy,” he said. “I shall come to London on the Thursday and practise my three hours a day but I have been completely useless there. I prefer not to waste my nerves. They are more expensive than the money to lose in the first or second rounds.”

What Safin has in Lundgren, though, is a man who made Federer believe enough to win the title in 2003, the launchpad for a period of domination over the sport that shows no sign of diminishing. If he could do the same for Safin, it would be a feather in his cap and finally rid him of the hurt of being ditched by Federer a year ago this week.

[SAFINNO1]

If lundgren can pull this off it would be unbelievable.
if this happens Lundgren is great and marat will be great

[ANNA205]

Safin regains dominant form
By Scott Riley, Tennis Editor

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Roger Federer might be in a league of his own right now, but Russian star Marat Safin appears to have regained the form that delivered him a U.S. Open championship four years ago.

The mighty Safin is freshly poured steel hot, having just won his second Tennis Masters shield in a three-week span this past weekend in Paris. Just two weeks earlier he captured the Madrid Masters by beating legendary American Andre Agassi in the semis and fierce Argentine David Nalbandian in the final at Rockodromo.

Safin's lucrative win in Paris came when he overwhelmed Czech qualifier Radek Stepanek in the title match, but his week also featured a key victory over his fellow former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt in the quarters. He also cooled off hot Argentine Guillermo Canas in his round-of-four matchup before exacting a bit of revenge on Stepanek, who stunned the powerful Russian in his native Moscow just three weeks earlier.

Safin's popular Parisian run gave him career title number 14, pushed his '04 on-court earnings to just under $2 million and sent his career prize money over the $10.5 million mark. He also joined the legendary Boris Becker as the only other three-time winner of the Paris Masters.

The 6-foot-4 Safin also titled in Beijing in September, which means he's won three of his last six events and improved to 3-2 in his quintet of '04 finals.

The up-and-down Safin overcame a dismal stretch during the summer portion of the season, when he dropped four straight matches at one point, including three straight opening-round setbacks, one of which came at the hands of fellow Russian Dmitry Tursunov at Wimbledon. He would go on to suffer a second-round loss at the Athens Games and a first-round stunner against seemingly-washed up Swede Thomas Enqvist at the U.S. Open.

But following the loss to Enqvist in New York, Safin roared back to rattle off nine straight wins, including his title in Beijing, before succumbing to Andy Roddick in Bangkok. And since that "Big Apple" loss against Enqvist, the formidable Russian is 22-3, including all three of his '04 crowns.

The 24-year-old Safin will be seeded fourth at next week's season-ending Tennis Masters Cup event in Houston, where he'll carry in a five-match winning streak and a 12-1 record over his last 13 outings.

Safin stamped his place on the tennis map four years ago when he pasted American great Pete Sampras in the final at the 2000 U.S. Open. It appeared as though the sky was the limit for the big Russian, but he's struggled with injuries and immaturity over the past few years and failed to live up to the lofty expectations brought on by his wealth of tennis talent. He, of course, is no stranger to an occasional smashing of the racquet and an argument with a chair umpire.

But 2004 has marked a resurgence for the charismatic star, who's piled up a 50-21 record and a trio of titles this season, his best one in two years -- but one that's still a far cry from his brilliant breakout campaign in 2000, when he went 73-27 and led the ATP with seven titles on his way to finishing No. 2 in the world.

After dropping all the way to No. 77 by the end of last season (12-11 with nary a title), Safin has since climbed to No. 4 in the entry rankings, trailing only Federer, Roddick and Hewitt.

Since his run at the 2000 U.S. Open, Safin has failed to nail down a Grand Slam title, corralling a pair of runner-up finishes at the Australian Open in 2002 and earlier this year. But he seems to have regained that form that can produce a major title result, if he can get past Federer, who whipped the Russian in January's Aussie Open finale. Federer is a dominant 5-1 lifetime against Safin, including a perfect 2-0 versus the Russian this year.

Is Safin closing the gap between himself and Federer? Maybe we'll find out next week in Houston, where the exclusive eight-player Masters Cup field will also feature the Wimbledon runner-up Roddick, the U.S. Open runner-up Hewitt, Carlos Moya, French Open runner-up Guillermo Coria, Tim Henman and Roland Garros titlist Gaston Gaudio. The remarkable Federer is the reigning Masters Cup champ and gathered three quarters of this year's Grand Slam hardware (Aussie Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open).

In all fairness to Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Safin is probably the best Russian player we've ever seen, he just needs to add to his Grand Slam trophy case, where he still only holds one piece of hardware (2000 U.S. Open) to Kafelnikov's two (1996 French Open and 1999 Aussie Open). Kafelnikov, for what it's worth, also secured an Olympic gold medal in 2000.

Safin went a respectable 9-4 at the Slams this year, but ended on a sour note by incurring losses in his last two outings, at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

It's hard to get inside Safin's mind, but my guess is he's looking forward to a strong 2005 season, with the first major of the year coming in Melbourne in just two months.



11/09 13:39:34 ET

[SAFINNO1]

Can Anyone Challenge Federer in 2005?

So dominant was Roger Federer in 2004 that it is difficult to imagine any player challenging him for the No. 1 ranking in 2005. But history suggests that it is difficult to follow up on such a standout season. Just three other players have won three or more Grand Slam titles in one season during the Open era: Mats Wilander (who won three Grand Slams in 1988), Jimmy Connors (3 in 1974) and Rod Laver (who completed his second Grand Slam in 1969). No one among that star trio won a Grand Slam title the following year.

Wilander’s triumph in the 1988 US Open final was his last appearance in a Grand Slam final. Laver, who was 31 when he became the only player in history to complete the Grand Slam twice, advanced to the quarterfinals of a major just once more.

Jimmy Connors in 1974 completed the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open sweep 30 years before Federer repeated the feat this season. Connors failed to win a Grand Slam title the following year (he finished runner-up in the same Grand Slam finals) but he went on to win another five Grand Slam titles during his career and still holds an ATP-record 109 career tournament titles.

Federer will be hoping next season to become the first player since Tony Trabert in 1955 to win his first five Grand Slam titles. He will also try to become the first player since Ivan Lendl (1985-87) to win three consecutive Tennis Masters Cup titles.

So what will 2005 bring: more Federer dominance or will the long list of ATP stars rise to meet Federer’s challenge? World No. 2 Andy Roddick is determined to reclaim the year-end World No. 1 ranking he surrendered to the Swiss this year. Fiesty Aussie Lleyton Hewitt has vowed to raise his game to challenge Federer after six straight losses in 2004. [glow=red,2,300]Marat Safin is back to his best form and is a player with the firepower to trade blows with Federer.[/glow]

Spaniard Carlos Moya has been to No. 1 before and is playing some of the best tennis of his career. Argentines Guillermo Coria and David Nalbandian, who have produced big results on multiple surfaces, are also in the hunt.

Which player, or players, can challenge Federer for the No. 1 ranking next season and why? Send your thoughts to [e-mail] and we’ll publish a cross section of the answers.

[annie]

hmmm.... two words baby... Marat Safin!!

[Damita]

i didn't know where to post this. It's a part of his post match conference after losing the doubles to Coria and Dulko, but he talks more about Wimbledon and the AO than about the Hopman cup so i've decided to post it here. It's from tennis-X.com

Marat Safin on Russia's embarrassing early exit from the Hopman Cup exhibition, with Safin and Anastasia Myskina losing 6-2, 6-0 in the mixed doubles decider to Argentines Guillermo "El Fragile" Coria and Gisela "Sgt." Dulko: "Gisela was even returning my serve very well which was kind of embarrassing but I'll have to live with that and get better for the Australian Open. (Coria) played really well, was always running, always biting, not literally, but he was too good." Safin also took the opportunity to compliment the Aussie Open surface, and compare Lleyton Hewitt's problems in Melbourne to his own poor efforts at Wimbledon: "You would probably have 50 players who like it, and 50 players who don't, but that's normal. I like the surface. The ball bounces a bit higher, it's not too fast and the courts suit my game, but (Hewitt) is completely different. We have completely different games. He is the complete opposite of what I'm doing. Everyone is different. Here (Melbourne) is a little slower, the French Open is on clay, Wimbledon is fast and with a low bounce and the US Open is fast hardcourts. Some players can't adjust, I can't adjust to Wimbledon, it seems. Maybe I'm not good enough. It really doesn't matter how many hours, days, weeks or years of practice you put in on the court, it either suits you or it doesn't. I really feel like Wimbledon doesn't suit me, but I have to play, and who knows, if I get (a good draw) then I could find myself in the quarterfinals."

[sirius]

Damita said:

i didn't know where to post this. It's a part of his post match conference after losing the doubles to Coria and Dulko, but he talks more about Wimbledon and the AO than about the Hopman cup so i've decided to post it here. It's from tennis-X.com

Marat Safin on Russia's embarrassing early exit from the Hopman Cup exhibition, with Safin and Anastasia Myskina losing 6-2, 6-0 in the mixed doubles decider to Argentines Guillermo "El Fragile" Coria and Gisela "Sgt." Dulko: "Gisela was even returning my serve very well which was kind of embarrassing but I'll have to live with that and get better for the Australian Open. (Coria) played really well, was always running, always biting, not literally, but he was too good." Safin also took the opportunity to compliment the Aussie Open surface, and compare Lleyton Hewitt's problems in Melbourne to his own poor efforts at Wimbledon: "You would probably have 50 players who like it, and 50 players who don't, but that's normal. I like the surface. The ball bounces a bit higher, it's not too fast and the courts suit my game, but (Hewitt) is completely different. We have completely different games. He is the complete opposite of what I'm doing. Everyone is different. Here (Melbourne) is a little slower, the French Open is on clay, Wimbledon is fast and with a low bounce and the US Open is fast hardcourts. Some players can't adjust, I can't adjust to Wimbledon, it seems. Maybe I'm not good enough. It really doesn't matter how many hours, days, weeks or years of practice you put in on the court, it either suits you or it doesn't. I really feel like Wimbledon doesn't suit me, but I have to play, and who knows, if I get (a good draw) then I could find myself in the quarterfinals."

and he gave coria credit! Way to go!

[SAFINNO1]

Hmmmmmm so if the draw is right he may reach the QF

so there may be a chance of him working at wimbledon