Post by Annie on Jun 11, 2005 19:09:34 GMT 3
'Safin In Chocolate'
An interview with Marat Safin for the Russian newspaper
"Arguments and Facts" No 18, May 2nd 2001
Last year was pleasantly surprising for Russian tennis player Marat Safin but this year, the season started badly for him. On the tournament in Dubai he got a back injury. But apart from that, Marat is one of the race leaders being 2nd in the entry system.
Q- Marat, after your poor performance in Bratislava, you promised to make up for it in Sweden. Don't you have the feeling that you took your [Davis Cup] team for a ride? [i.e gave them false hope]
M- Of course I wish I could have shown them what I'm capable of. Normally I can defeat the Swedes. But professionals don't ask for their injuries. Most of all I lost a lot of money and ranking points because of it. Everybody can see I'm injured and my opponents want to beat me, want to finish me off, want to crush me psychologically. In these cases you have to think about your future, not force the situation, and wait until you are totally healthy. That's why, unfortunately, I had to refuse to play Davis Cup.
Q- Some people say that you lack tact/patriotism.
M- If their back hurt to the point that it was driving you up the wall, they wouldn't have said that stuff.
BUT VERY SEXUAL
Q- After you said in your last interview for "AIF", that you'd like to thank your (female) fans with chocolate medals bearing your face, many girls contacted us, saying they longed for such a present. Perhaps you should start a chocolate business?
M- I concern myself with tennis, and at the moment I don't want to do anything else.
Q- After the scandal, when Mike Tyson bit his opponents ear, in the USA a chocolate ear was put on the market. The boxer earned a lot of money from that. Wouldn't you like to put your heart, torso or some other chocolate body part on the market?
M- No, I don't. When a sport idol gets into trouble abroad, then the people try to support him and get him out of his depression. But if you get in trouble in our country, the people try to hurt you even more. They write fairy tales about you&ldots; I can't understand it.
Q- Do your female fans bother you?
M- Associating with my fans is part of my job. But of course I would like to get some peace. When you can't concentrate totally on your tennis, sometimes it's really difficult to play.
Q- If you look at the rankings, Russia is at the moment the strongest team, it's also called the "Dream team". Would you say yes if somebody offered to clone you? And "Double Safin" [your doppelganger/double] would shine on the courts&ldots;
M- I don't agree with that. In England they cloned Dolly the sheep, but had to kill her because of the foot-and-mouth disease. [Ruth would like to point out this is not true!] I'm sure that between the epidemics and scientific 'magic tricks' are some profound consequences. And besides, why should we experiment, if there is a much pleasanter, healthier and much more interesting way to breed? Everything should happen in a natural way.
Q- Now, you are such a beautiful, strong, young man, would you consider being a sperm donor for a "Sperm Bank" and improving the Russian gene pool?
M- You think I'm some kind of factory? I think there are many men in Russia who would like to sell their sperm for money. If I need a child, the girl I love will give birth to it.
Q- Are you careful that nothing happens to you like it did to Boris Becker? Russian Angela Ermakova gave birth to his child and demanded $3 millions as a result. And Boris had to pay.
M- Fortunately this hasn't happened to me. (He spits and knocks on a table). I try not to make mistakes, especially this kind, they're very expensive. And Becker is the best example of it.
Q- You have come to glory like Vyisotzkiy (a Russian singer, actor & poet) and embodied his phrase: "Lots of women and lots of wine". Is this true?
M- I think the people who think this up have no lives of their own. And by the way, I don't want to justify myself anymore. I'd like to see them go out on court and try to play after they've drunk all night, like they say I do. They would be in heaven already. [i.e it would kill them]
Q- Sex and sport, is there a connection?
M- Of course! First of all, the hormones are stimulated. Secondly, it removes the nervous excitement before a match. And I read somewhere, that when a person is very sexual then he's also very ingenious.
THE DIVA SYNDROME&ldots;
Q- Marat, why did you have so much success last year, but only failure this year?
M- Many tennis players have ups and downs. Let's take Agassi for example: he was number 1, but after that he wasn't even in the Top 100 anymore. In the last 5-7 years only Sampras and our Kafelnikov stayed in the Top 10.
Q- At the beginning of last year you wanted to retire altogether from tennis. Do you still think about that?
M- No. I've achieved a lot, and now I don't have to run after results or prove to people what I'm capable of. I'm satisfied with what I've achieved. I have my plans and my obligations to the ATP. I would like to win the French Open, if not this year, then next. But I will do it someday, definitely. I promise that I will be in the Top 10 for many years.
Q- Is it hard to stay on top of such a strong performance and have so much glory?
M- As the saying goes, you can't spend money on drink and still have a masterly performance. And about the glory - although it is a temporary thing, I don't worry about it, because I'm not a vain person.
Q- Some people think that you get "star fever" [fame making you arrogant] You can't control yourself, you become explosive: at the beginning of the year in Milan you broke 7 rackets in the locker room. Why do you do that ? - childishness, a surge of emotion?
M- Ok, this crime happened. I was just very disappointed because of my incompetent loss. I know it's not the rackets fault. I'm old enough to understand and I criticize my actions. By the way, to connect my broken rackets with "star fever" - it's just unfair.
Q- Some people also say: "Safin is a star? He's, at most, a flash-in-the-pan [one-hit-wonder, here today, gone tomorrow, shooting star]&ldots;"
M- It doesn't bother me what people say about me. If my behaviour doesn't please someone, let them be offended, let them curse me - it's their problem. I have the right to live my own life.
Q- Undoubtedly, you believe, like the saying: "it's my loo, I'll put it down where I want to" [It's my life I can do what I want]. But after your victory over the great Sampras at the US Open, you've become the property of Russia, and you don't belong to yourself in some cases anymore&ldots;
M- But I can't please all the people all of the time, and I can't be a role model for everyone. Life is short, and I want to live it the way I want. And by the way, I'm already tired of defending myself.
Q- Why are so many people in Russia unfair towards you?
M- I was given alot, and I achieved a lot. If they had worked as hard since the age of 6, like me, they'd understand. Perhaps they are jealous.
Q- Is there a point when you will collect your thoughts and start winning again?
M- It can happen in a week, a month, a year &ldots;. Time will tell. I'm not in a rush, I'm not late. I think that everything will be ok someday.
PROFESSOR OR SHOWMAN?
Q- Apart from your injury, are there any other reasons why you are losing?
M- Everyone, not only sportsmen, has ups and downs, but our downs are more noticeable because our lives are in public. It's just impossible to be on top all the time both physically and psychologically.
Q- What percentage do you consider yourself professional?
M- You can't be 100% professional. You can strive for it, but to give your all for the game, in my mind, - it's a big mistake. It's just a game, it's not life. Also tennis players who get closer to the reputation of "the perfect player", need freedom. For example Sampras: he's probably practising more than others, but Pete is not obsessed with tennis. Last year he preferred to celebrate his marriage and not take part in three big tournaments. The pleasures of his honeymoon and his new wife are more important for him then any honours and prizes in sport. It's a wonderful thing, a wonderful feeling, why should you rob yourself of this? Sampras did everything right, and I support and respect him.
Q- Who else do you respect?
M- We all respect Kafelnikov, he did a lot for tennis.
Q- Marat, has anybody offered you a career in Hollywood?
M- I'm not interested in it. And I just couldn't live in America. It's not for me. I'm not ready, not able and I wouldn't want to be an actor.
Q- Anyhow, you said, that tennis is a big show. That means, you work in the entertainment business?
M- Yes. And it's nothing special. When thousands of people come to the matches, then it's interesting for me to be a part of the show.
Q- And is it interesting for you to entertain Luschkov, to practice with him, to play doubles with his wife - is this not also a clown show?
M- What are you saying?! He's the mayor of Moscow, a city with a population of ten thousand people, you can count him as the head of the whole country. He must be supported, he really likes tennis. Why not play with him? I was really surprised, because our mayor is a very agile and athletic person. A few times he hammered the ball so well that even I couldn't return it.
Original translation by Inna
Improved English version by Ruth
www.aif.ru/aif/1071/03_01.php
[original source]
IF YOU WISH TO POST THESE INTERVIEWS ELSE WHERE PLEASE INCLUDE CREDIT FOR ALL TRANSLATORS MENTIONED AND THE GUYFROMRUSSIA URL FOR THE INTERVIEW THANK YOU!!
An interview with Marat Safin for the Russian newspaper
"Arguments and Facts" No 18, May 2nd 2001
Last year was pleasantly surprising for Russian tennis player Marat Safin but this year, the season started badly for him. On the tournament in Dubai he got a back injury. But apart from that, Marat is one of the race leaders being 2nd in the entry system.
Q- Marat, after your poor performance in Bratislava, you promised to make up for it in Sweden. Don't you have the feeling that you took your [Davis Cup] team for a ride? [i.e gave them false hope]
M- Of course I wish I could have shown them what I'm capable of. Normally I can defeat the Swedes. But professionals don't ask for their injuries. Most of all I lost a lot of money and ranking points because of it. Everybody can see I'm injured and my opponents want to beat me, want to finish me off, want to crush me psychologically. In these cases you have to think about your future, not force the situation, and wait until you are totally healthy. That's why, unfortunately, I had to refuse to play Davis Cup.
Q- Some people say that you lack tact/patriotism.
M- If their back hurt to the point that it was driving you up the wall, they wouldn't have said that stuff.
BUT VERY SEXUAL
Q- After you said in your last interview for "AIF", that you'd like to thank your (female) fans with chocolate medals bearing your face, many girls contacted us, saying they longed for such a present. Perhaps you should start a chocolate business?
M- I concern myself with tennis, and at the moment I don't want to do anything else.
Q- After the scandal, when Mike Tyson bit his opponents ear, in the USA a chocolate ear was put on the market. The boxer earned a lot of money from that. Wouldn't you like to put your heart, torso or some other chocolate body part on the market?
M- No, I don't. When a sport idol gets into trouble abroad, then the people try to support him and get him out of his depression. But if you get in trouble in our country, the people try to hurt you even more. They write fairy tales about you&ldots; I can't understand it.
Q- Do your female fans bother you?
M- Associating with my fans is part of my job. But of course I would like to get some peace. When you can't concentrate totally on your tennis, sometimes it's really difficult to play.
Q- If you look at the rankings, Russia is at the moment the strongest team, it's also called the "Dream team". Would you say yes if somebody offered to clone you? And "Double Safin" [your doppelganger/double] would shine on the courts&ldots;
M- I don't agree with that. In England they cloned Dolly the sheep, but had to kill her because of the foot-and-mouth disease. [Ruth would like to point out this is not true!] I'm sure that between the epidemics and scientific 'magic tricks' are some profound consequences. And besides, why should we experiment, if there is a much pleasanter, healthier and much more interesting way to breed? Everything should happen in a natural way.
Q- Now, you are such a beautiful, strong, young man, would you consider being a sperm donor for a "Sperm Bank" and improving the Russian gene pool?
M- You think I'm some kind of factory? I think there are many men in Russia who would like to sell their sperm for money. If I need a child, the girl I love will give birth to it.
Q- Are you careful that nothing happens to you like it did to Boris Becker? Russian Angela Ermakova gave birth to his child and demanded $3 millions as a result. And Boris had to pay.
M- Fortunately this hasn't happened to me. (He spits and knocks on a table). I try not to make mistakes, especially this kind, they're very expensive. And Becker is the best example of it.
Q- You have come to glory like Vyisotzkiy (a Russian singer, actor & poet) and embodied his phrase: "Lots of women and lots of wine". Is this true?
M- I think the people who think this up have no lives of their own. And by the way, I don't want to justify myself anymore. I'd like to see them go out on court and try to play after they've drunk all night, like they say I do. They would be in heaven already. [i.e it would kill them]
Q- Sex and sport, is there a connection?
M- Of course! First of all, the hormones are stimulated. Secondly, it removes the nervous excitement before a match. And I read somewhere, that when a person is very sexual then he's also very ingenious.
THE DIVA SYNDROME&ldots;
Q- Marat, why did you have so much success last year, but only failure this year?
M- Many tennis players have ups and downs. Let's take Agassi for example: he was number 1, but after that he wasn't even in the Top 100 anymore. In the last 5-7 years only Sampras and our Kafelnikov stayed in the Top 10.
Q- At the beginning of last year you wanted to retire altogether from tennis. Do you still think about that?
M- No. I've achieved a lot, and now I don't have to run after results or prove to people what I'm capable of. I'm satisfied with what I've achieved. I have my plans and my obligations to the ATP. I would like to win the French Open, if not this year, then next. But I will do it someday, definitely. I promise that I will be in the Top 10 for many years.
Q- Is it hard to stay on top of such a strong performance and have so much glory?
M- As the saying goes, you can't spend money on drink and still have a masterly performance. And about the glory - although it is a temporary thing, I don't worry about it, because I'm not a vain person.
Q- Some people think that you get "star fever" [fame making you arrogant] You can't control yourself, you become explosive: at the beginning of the year in Milan you broke 7 rackets in the locker room. Why do you do that ? - childishness, a surge of emotion?
M- Ok, this crime happened. I was just very disappointed because of my incompetent loss. I know it's not the rackets fault. I'm old enough to understand and I criticize my actions. By the way, to connect my broken rackets with "star fever" - it's just unfair.
Q- Some people also say: "Safin is a star? He's, at most, a flash-in-the-pan [one-hit-wonder, here today, gone tomorrow, shooting star]&ldots;"
M- It doesn't bother me what people say about me. If my behaviour doesn't please someone, let them be offended, let them curse me - it's their problem. I have the right to live my own life.
Q- Undoubtedly, you believe, like the saying: "it's my loo, I'll put it down where I want to" [It's my life I can do what I want]. But after your victory over the great Sampras at the US Open, you've become the property of Russia, and you don't belong to yourself in some cases anymore&ldots;
M- But I can't please all the people all of the time, and I can't be a role model for everyone. Life is short, and I want to live it the way I want. And by the way, I'm already tired of defending myself.
Q- Why are so many people in Russia unfair towards you?
M- I was given alot, and I achieved a lot. If they had worked as hard since the age of 6, like me, they'd understand. Perhaps they are jealous.
Q- Is there a point when you will collect your thoughts and start winning again?
M- It can happen in a week, a month, a year &ldots;. Time will tell. I'm not in a rush, I'm not late. I think that everything will be ok someday.
PROFESSOR OR SHOWMAN?
Q- Apart from your injury, are there any other reasons why you are losing?
M- Everyone, not only sportsmen, has ups and downs, but our downs are more noticeable because our lives are in public. It's just impossible to be on top all the time both physically and psychologically.
Q- What percentage do you consider yourself professional?
M- You can't be 100% professional. You can strive for it, but to give your all for the game, in my mind, - it's a big mistake. It's just a game, it's not life. Also tennis players who get closer to the reputation of "the perfect player", need freedom. For example Sampras: he's probably practising more than others, but Pete is not obsessed with tennis. Last year he preferred to celebrate his marriage and not take part in three big tournaments. The pleasures of his honeymoon and his new wife are more important for him then any honours and prizes in sport. It's a wonderful thing, a wonderful feeling, why should you rob yourself of this? Sampras did everything right, and I support and respect him.
Q- Who else do you respect?
M- We all respect Kafelnikov, he did a lot for tennis.
Q- Marat, has anybody offered you a career in Hollywood?
M- I'm not interested in it. And I just couldn't live in America. It's not for me. I'm not ready, not able and I wouldn't want to be an actor.
Q- Anyhow, you said, that tennis is a big show. That means, you work in the entertainment business?
M- Yes. And it's nothing special. When thousands of people come to the matches, then it's interesting for me to be a part of the show.
Q- And is it interesting for you to entertain Luschkov, to practice with him, to play doubles with his wife - is this not also a clown show?
M- What are you saying?! He's the mayor of Moscow, a city with a population of ten thousand people, you can count him as the head of the whole country. He must be supported, he really likes tennis. Why not play with him? I was really surprised, because our mayor is a very agile and athletic person. A few times he hammered the ball so well that even I couldn't return it.
Original translation by Inna
Improved English version by Ruth
www.aif.ru/aif/1071/03_01.php
[original source]
IF YOU WISH TO POST THESE INTERVIEWS ELSE WHERE PLEASE INCLUDE CREDIT FOR ALL TRANSLATORS MENTIONED AND THE GUYFROMRUSSIA URL FOR THE INTERVIEW THANK YOU!!
