G'day Mate - It's the Australian Open 2008

[justsafin]

I can't believe this........
After the 3rd and 4th sets, I had so much faith in Marat winning it becuz he started to raise the first service percentage and be aggressive, hit the balls hard, down the lines and across the court......

All of a sudden, in the 5th set, Marat was like what he performed in the first two sets, not moving well, and looked resigned.....

If he didn't lose that darn second set, he would've got thru this round ......Can't help but think of this

My opinion is that Marat should improve his unstable forehand and get to the net more. He didn't approach to the net alot when the balls were short.

Please keep work hard, Marat. I am proud that you fought to take the match to five sets and your shots and serves are solid and heavy. You still have the package. Best times are yet to come, that's for sure!!!!!

[Annie]

[Alya10]

Well, here's my impressions, as biased as they maybe.

Started the match a bit anxious, maybe, and moving a bit late for the balls which explain the UEs in the 1st two sets. And at that moment I really thought it was over.

But he fought back in the 3rd and 4th sets, raised his level and made some of the old Marat shots ;D beautiful FH and BHs. In the 5ht set I think he was caught up with the adrenalin of leveling the match to 2 sets a piece, or maybe he just ran out of gas. After all it's only his 4th competitive match since October (I'm not counting the Austrian exo).

Still I see huge signs of improvement. He plays like himself again, huge serve, powerful groundstrokes and fantastic FH and BH DTL. He said Marcus was going to be good for him and I think it was. Marcus played great (especially in the 1st 2 sets) and pushed Marat all the way. He needs this, to be pushed and tested if he is going to get his rythm back.

So well done Marat, despite the outcome ;D
kisses

[Annie]

[justsafin]

thank you annie for the pics, those brings such big comfort to my sad heart !!

Marat improves alot
will look forward to his promising future!!

ps: though I like Marat in white (or black or red) better
his new green outfit looks fine to me

[Anne]

A video of the last game... ! Kisses
www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Z9Msbyxyk

[jenniferjoa]

OMG.... I love to see Marat playing again!!!!!!
He definitly is BACK...
Thanks Annie for the lovely pics

[maratski]

Such a shame that he lost this great match !!!
Yes i believe he's back ..... back on the road for a great tennis season !!!
Congrats Marat's ..... we'll done !!!!
Oh yeah..... thanks all for the great pics !!!!

[justsafin]

Marcos Baghdatis ends Marat Safin's threat at the Australian Open
By JOHN PYE, AP Sports Writer
January 17, 2008
sports.yahoo.com/ten/news?slug=ap-australianopen&prov=ap&type=lgns

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Marat Safin won't be a problem for Roger Federer at this Australian Open.

Marcos Baghdatis took care of that, downing 2005 champion Safin in a momentum-swinging five-set match that stretched into Friday morning and completed the second round.

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Safin lurked as a dangerous floater in the draw because his slide down the rankings to No. 56 due to injuries meant he was unseeded for the tournament.

He beat Federer in the semifinals here three years ago, breaking up Federer's four Australian Open titles.

But Safin wasn't sure his game would have stacked up against Federer's this time. Nor is he sure anybody else's will, either.

"Roger Federer is a different level player," he said. "The way he's moving right now, full of confidence.

"And, of course, after being the No. 1 in the world and winning 12 Grand Slams for the past five years ... he's the best by far. So I don't think anybody on ATP Tour can be compared with him."

In a match packed with extended rallies and racket-throwing antics from Safin, Baghdatis held on 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2.

Both players put in everything, with Safin making a diving, rolling stretch to pick off a passing shot for a winner in the fourth set and Baghdatis awkwardly doing the splits when he slipped on one point and tumbling onto his back on another.

Baghdatis, a Cypriot who won over Melbourne's large Greek population during his run to the final two years ago, had plenty of support to lift him after Safin broke him early in the third and fourth sets.

He pulled ahead 3-0 in the fifth and finished in 3 hours, 13 minutes by breaking Safin for the fifth time.

Baghdatis is one of three losing Australian Open finalists still in contention -- a list that will certainly be reduced by at least one in the third round. He will play 2005 finalist Lleyton Hewitt on Saturday.

[sabz]

Thanks for all the wonderful pics!!!
And i am glad to see everyone is being sooo positive, i saw some highlights on tv and the shots he made in the 3rd and 4th set was scarily reminiscent of AO05
I am upset he lost too, but I think we shud take this as a positive - i have never seen him play like this for quite a while and i feel the confidence and positivity he has atm will do him good
it will be interesting to see wat he says in his post match interview

All i have to say is keep up the good work, stay focussed and good things are bound to come! ;D ;D ;D

DAVAI MARAT FOR 2008!!!

[SAFINNO1]

Marat, Marat, Marat - he actually made me cry. So close but yet so far - if he had just held at the start of the 5th set we would have been ecstatic.
how many more times is Marat gonna be denied right at the end as i have no doubt he would have gone on to be a force in this tournament. he just needs 1 tournament or one big win to re-establish himself.

I skipped school for this and to some extent was worth it - what is it with Marat and Rod Laver Arena thrillers?

first 2 sets Marat was not playing well and my honest opinion was he was not going to win coz he has never come back from 2 sets to down to win a match but my god he shocked me - he never gave up and blew Baggy away in 3&4 sets -all parts of his game was firing which and then maybe his lack of match practise took its toll on him as he faltered away.

Although 58 errors is way to much and really should have been finished quicker but Baggy threw in 56 himself so there can be improvements in his consistency.

But he really looks trim and fit so should stand him in good stead for the future!

The future looks bright the future will once again be Marat Safin!.

Thanks for all the photos and thoughts peeps!

[Patxy]

[maryb]

Just watched the match - for once my SKY planner didn't let me down (and I wisely added in another programme, otherwise I would have missed the last set)! For the guys who didn't get to see the match, you would have been very proud of the Big Yin. The appetite was back. At last. Lots of fist-pumping - the adrenaline was certainly going in the 3rd and 4th set (mine's certainly was). And when he approached the net, his volley wasn't at all bad - well done for letting me see it in action! More of it though! (I'm fed up nagging). Liked your dive action as well for a real winner. ;D In the last year you would probably have let the shot go. Good to see that your hard work at the net has paid off.

The first 2 sets had too many unforced errors and he wasn't moving enough. Bagpuss was putting into play the tactics I wanted the Big Yin to follow - keep the ball in but make the opponent run. Baggy certainly ain't as fit as the Big Yin, and you could see it on his face that he wasn't wanting this match to go to a fifth, but somehow he managed to keep his legs going.

The third and fourth were vintage Safin - and should make him realise that he's still got it. When he keeps the heid, it's there. (Get shot of the arm swinging routine though. There's still glimpses of this peeping through).

I think it hit home to the Big Yin in the fifth what had happened in the last 2 sets and he tightened up a bit and played some loose shots. Bagpuss took full advantage.

All in all, a great outing for the Big Yin. He shouldn't be downhearted at all as he demonstrated what he's capable of. There was great tennis on show and the crowd appreciated it. I take my hat off to you boy, you've definitely been working hard and it showed. I actually rolled off the couch at the end of the fourth set in excitement. I'll have a bruise on my arse now. But, it was worth seeing a match that proved, hopefully to him most of all, that he's back.

A very proud cybercoach

PS A smack on your arse though for the racquet getting thrown in the net. I've told you before to stop expending energy like that. Save it for the shotmaking.

[aussiechick]

Oh my god that's me in the white top!!! So happy my moment with Safin was photographed even though i'm pulling a weird face! Will post the photo I'm taking in the pic. Just got back from Melbourne. Marat played an awesome match last night, despite the last set. He put up a good fight, even though we all know he can do better. But I'm still proud of him.

[jenhatter06]

Q. You gave it a good fight.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, well, yeah.


Q. What is your main emotion after that?

MARAT SAFIN: It's a pity, but I'm ‑‑ at the same time I'm pretty happy the way things are going. But I'm a little bit disappointed with the few things that happened to me in the first two sets. It shouldn't have happened, but unfortunately, that's the way it is.

But I consider I should have won in four; three, four sets. That's what happened to me in the first two. It's a mistake. This will be the first and last time it's going to happen to me, so...


Q. What's the reason for it?

MARAT SAFIN: I spoke already with my coach and with ‑‑ with my coach.


Q. When was the last time you played that well and lost?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, I don't know. Since a long time, I guess, been pretty long time I didn't play the same way. So for me it was a little bit surprising that I could ‑‑ unfortunately, I was pretty tense at the beginning of the match. So, you know, I didn't expect for a long time that I'm gonna play the same way.

So it's actually a little bit surprising for myself to be in such a good shape and play good tennis and be able to compete against top 10 players for five sets, you know, with a chance to win. So it's not really nothing wrong, but just it's small things that shouldn't happen at the age of 27, that's for sure.


Q. Is it your choice of shot or...

MARAT SAFIN: A few ‑‑ nothing to do with shots.


Q. How did you get back into the match after those first two sets?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, it was ‑‑ I should have gotten into the match a little bit earlier. But just the way things they were, I couldn't come into the match quicker. So I had to wait for two sets, you know, and then I start to play my tennis that I should have played from the beginning. The score was 2‑3 in a matter of minutes.

Then the fifth set, of course, my concentration went down a little bit. He made the early break. Then, of course, he was pumped up and he was ready to finish the match playing well.

If I would hold my serve a little bit longer in the fifth set, I think I would have a chance. But unfortunately my concentration and my ‑‑ everything went a little bit downhill, and he was just preparing himself for the fifth set. So it's a little bit unlucky.


Q. If you had got through that, do you think your game's at a level where you could have beaten Roger Federer down here?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, I just lost to Baghdatis. We're not talking about Roger Federer. Roger Federer is a different level person, different level player. The way he's moving right now, full of confidence. And, of course, after being the No. 1 in the world and winning 12 Grand Slams, how many he has, for the past five years. So I guess with the confidence that he has, I would play also the same way Roger does.

So it's tough to compete against him and have to compare to him. But he's the best by far, and he will be the best of tennis. So I don't think anybody in here on ATP Tour can be compared to him.


Q. Since Agassi and Federer, you were the one to have the most success on the Rebound Ace. The transition, how do you view it, the court characteristics?

MARAT SAFIN: I think the courts are pretty good, actually. They tried to make it as close as possible to Rebound Ace without being so soft. Because I think what's happened is a lot of people, they were complaining about the knee injuries and twisting their ankles. Well, it wasn't really my case. I was a little bit surprised when I heard it will be a different surface this year.

But it looks like they did a great job, you know, to make it as close as possible to Rebound Ace. But it's a little bit stiff, but you can play. I think it's great. They did a great job. Also with the balls.


Q. Are you encouraged by your form today for the rest of the year?

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. I have to continue. I'm not gonna give up straightaway that I'm losing to Baghdatis. I mean, he's a top‑10 player. Just a pity I have to be out in a second round in a Grand Slam. It was a pretty long time ago that didn't happen to me. But actually for the past two years it happened, but it's not really the place I want to be.

But I have to deal with that. The year is pretty long, so I'll have my chances, that's for sure. Like I said before, I'm happy the way I'm playing and the results will come pretty quickly. So just keep continuing working. And thanks to my coach that he believes in me, I can come back. Thanks to all my team and let's make it happen.

www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2008-01-17/200801171200536190953.html