Post by Annie on Jun 13, 2005 19:56:59 GMT 3
Le Rocher Sportif - 12/04/2003
Marat opens his Heart - Edwige Boyer
Sad beginning of season for Russian player Marat Safin... he was one of the most expected players on clay, but the tall Russian withdrew from the first tournament on clay that will take place here next week...
let's get to know him better
E.B : First of all, how do you feel after this rather unlucky beginning of year ?
M. S : I'm still looking for my confidence. I feel frustrated, you know, when you feel you can play great tennis and you keep having pains, feeling sick... That's just terrible...
I didn't have much time to rest after the Davis Cup unfortunately, and now I'm paying the price of this great end of season, especially with Bercy and the Davis Cup.
E.B : You had a problem with your wrist earlier in the year, could you explain us a bit more precisely what it is...
M.S : It was a tendinitis, inflammation of a tendon, caused by a shock while I was playing... I had to stop playing for a few days and to get some rest for my wrist...
E.B : How do you see the clay season? What are your chances for the French Open?
M.S :I think I have a great chance, you know how much I love this tournament, I want to win it so badly...
and also, I love Paris, it's my 2nd favourite city in the world (right after Moscow), I have so many great memories there.
E.B : What do you like about Paris?
M.S : I don't know how to describe it, it's the atmosphere, a great feeling..... and also I love the fans that I usually meet there. French Open is definitely the tournament I like best!
E.B : Could you describe your relations with the fans? I guess you have mainly a female audience...
M.S : It's true that most of my fans are girls, but who wouldn't be happy with that??? It's always nice to have plenty of good looking girls around you. Sometimes it's really hard to resist you know.. because I have to focus on my matches, it's impossible for me to spend more time with them... The hardest is when you see a girl you really like all the time because she is staying at the same hotel as yours and you can't do anything! Really frustrating but, you know, that's life! I'm sure I'll see her again one day!
E.B : What happened to your 'blond' fans? We haven't seen them for a while now??
M.S : Well, I want that to be clear now! I had nothing to do with these girls... They were friends of friends of friends... You know, I don't even like blondes!!
E.B : So, what's your type of girl?
M.S : You know I used to date a brunette, but I guess it was not really my type either....
E.B : How about your collaboration with a friend of yours, Denis Golovanov ? Does it happen the way you had expected it to, worse, better ?
M.S : Denis is an excellent coach! He knows the way I work, he can give me the right tips to improve my game.
I hope it went better but Denis can't be responsible for my injuries.. You know, Denis is a very superstitious guy (laughing), he does certain things that he thinks will help me but as a result...
E.B : You seem to be one of the most appreciated player not only by the fans but by the other players as well. Do you guys see each other when you're not playing ?
M.S : I try to spend as much time as possible with my friends when I'm not playing any tourney... Of course, we spend some time together, it's not because you have to play againt them that you hate them (laughing)
So, I sometimes go to the restaurant with French players like Escude & his coach Arnaud (Casagrande, editor's note), Santoro... in Geneva. And during tourneys, we spend a lot of time talking just like you, guy, speak with your colleagues (smiling)
E.B : How do you feel when some people like Mc Enroe, Tarpischev, Chamoulaud, Santoro, Sampras say that you're the most gifted player in the world at the moment?
M.S : (Blushing)... That's really flattering, but you know, it depends... Sometimes, I'm playing really great I feel like I can beat any player... that's wonderful that's...
E.B : Better than sex ?
M.S : (laughing out loud) Maybe...
But sometimes... I can play really bad... I have to be more confident, try to get more confidence and all that stuff!
E.B : How do you see the rest of your season ? Do you expect to play the Masters Cup, to finish in the top ten, number 1 maybe
M.S : It's my dream to finish the year number one, and to win the French Open as well.
Who wouldn't want to be number one, tell me ? Sometimes, people say that I'm not motivated enough, that I don't do my best... but what do they know about me??... They can come and play so that we'll see...
E.B : How about your little sister Dinara, it looks as if she's doing well!!
M.S : Yeah, Dinara's tennis is really, really good... I hope that she'll go on like that..
'm telling you that she's better than me! I said once that I'll be known as "Dinara's brother" and that's true!
Translated by Sophie
Marat opens his Heart - Edwige Boyer
Sad beginning of season for Russian player Marat Safin... he was one of the most expected players on clay, but the tall Russian withdrew from the first tournament on clay that will take place here next week...
let's get to know him better
E.B : First of all, how do you feel after this rather unlucky beginning of year ?
M. S : I'm still looking for my confidence. I feel frustrated, you know, when you feel you can play great tennis and you keep having pains, feeling sick... That's just terrible...
I didn't have much time to rest after the Davis Cup unfortunately, and now I'm paying the price of this great end of season, especially with Bercy and the Davis Cup.
E.B : You had a problem with your wrist earlier in the year, could you explain us a bit more precisely what it is...
M.S : It was a tendinitis, inflammation of a tendon, caused by a shock while I was playing... I had to stop playing for a few days and to get some rest for my wrist...
E.B : How do you see the clay season? What are your chances for the French Open?
M.S :I think I have a great chance, you know how much I love this tournament, I want to win it so badly...
and also, I love Paris, it's my 2nd favourite city in the world (right after Moscow), I have so many great memories there.
E.B : What do you like about Paris?
M.S : I don't know how to describe it, it's the atmosphere, a great feeling..... and also I love the fans that I usually meet there. French Open is definitely the tournament I like best!
E.B : Could you describe your relations with the fans? I guess you have mainly a female audience...
M.S : It's true that most of my fans are girls, but who wouldn't be happy with that??? It's always nice to have plenty of good looking girls around you. Sometimes it's really hard to resist you know.. because I have to focus on my matches, it's impossible for me to spend more time with them... The hardest is when you see a girl you really like all the time because she is staying at the same hotel as yours and you can't do anything! Really frustrating but, you know, that's life! I'm sure I'll see her again one day!
E.B : What happened to your 'blond' fans? We haven't seen them for a while now??
M.S : Well, I want that to be clear now! I had nothing to do with these girls... They were friends of friends of friends... You know, I don't even like blondes!!
E.B : So, what's your type of girl?
M.S : You know I used to date a brunette, but I guess it was not really my type either....
E.B : How about your collaboration with a friend of yours, Denis Golovanov ? Does it happen the way you had expected it to, worse, better ?
M.S : Denis is an excellent coach! He knows the way I work, he can give me the right tips to improve my game.
I hope it went better but Denis can't be responsible for my injuries.. You know, Denis is a very superstitious guy (laughing), he does certain things that he thinks will help me but as a result...
E.B : You seem to be one of the most appreciated player not only by the fans but by the other players as well. Do you guys see each other when you're not playing ?
M.S : I try to spend as much time as possible with my friends when I'm not playing any tourney... Of course, we spend some time together, it's not because you have to play againt them that you hate them (laughing)
So, I sometimes go to the restaurant with French players like Escude & his coach Arnaud (Casagrande, editor's note), Santoro... in Geneva. And during tourneys, we spend a lot of time talking just like you, guy, speak with your colleagues (smiling)
E.B : How do you feel when some people like Mc Enroe, Tarpischev, Chamoulaud, Santoro, Sampras say that you're the most gifted player in the world at the moment?
M.S : (Blushing)... That's really flattering, but you know, it depends... Sometimes, I'm playing really great I feel like I can beat any player... that's wonderful that's...
E.B : Better than sex ?
M.S : (laughing out loud) Maybe...
But sometimes... I can play really bad... I have to be more confident, try to get more confidence and all that stuff!
E.B : How do you see the rest of your season ? Do you expect to play the Masters Cup, to finish in the top ten, number 1 maybe
M.S : It's my dream to finish the year number one, and to win the French Open as well.
Who wouldn't want to be number one, tell me ? Sometimes, people say that I'm not motivated enough, that I don't do my best... but what do they know about me??... They can come and play so that we'll see...
E.B : How about your little sister Dinara, it looks as if she's doing well!!
M.S : Yeah, Dinara's tennis is really, really good... I hope that she'll go on like that..
'm telling you that she's better than me! I said once that I'll be known as "Dinara's brother" and that's true!
Translated by Sophie
