Post by Annie on Jun 13, 2005 20:03:01 GMT 3
St Petersburg Times
Moscow 2003
J : Hi Mr Safin! It's been quite a while since we've last seen you on a tennis court. You had to stop playing for a few months... because of an injured wrist, now that you're back, how do you feel ?
MS : I feel better... I hope that i'll find my game very soon. My wrist is still a bit sore, but I'm much better now! But when you come back its always difficult.. the other guys, they are playing so fast... They haven't been granted a six month break! (laughing)
J: Do you have any explanation about the cause of this injury ?
MS : In my opinion, it is because of the end of last season, I had to play too many matches : I won in Paris twice : Bercy and the Davis Cup.. had too little time to rest before the beginning of this season.. before the Australian tournaments... you know, that's really hard to keep the pace up.... When you see players like Ferrero thinking of skipping the Australian Open because of the Davis Cup....
J: Do you find it hard to come back like that ? Is it the first time for you to come back after a so long and serious injury ?
MS: Of course it is difficult! I couldn't use my left wrist for a few months... I couldn't play tennis at all, tried new sports... I wanted to try roller-skating or go ice-skating but I was told that it wasn't really careful for my wrist!! (laughing)
J : It looks as if you had fun though!!! What else have you done during all this "free time" ?
MS : I travelled a bit, went fishing, went to the movies, watched my Simpsons DVDs,
spent time with my family and my friends. And I'm really proud of my little sis' who has won a tourney this year... and as we have a kind of tradition between the two of us, I gave her a little present : a little black and white cat called Tolstoi... but as she travels a lot now... he is to stay in Moscow with our Dad...
J: Are you still coached by Denis Golovanov ?
MS : "coach" isn’t the proper word, he is more a friend who travels and practises with me, and he doesn’t help me only for tennis, he sometimes helped me cooking!!! I'm sure he'd be an excellent cook !!!! (laughing)
J : You'll soon have to defend your title in Bercy, are you worried about that ?
MS : Worried? Why would I be worried ? you know, I'm 23.... I'm living on my passion, I'm happy in life.. I'm happy to play again! and what a pleasure to go to Paris! I love the atmosphere, I love Bercy, I have always been lucky there and the fans are great!!
J: Let me wish you good luck for Bercy and the rest of the season!
MS : Thank you!
By Marina Skibina
Translated by Igor Oulianov
Thanks to Valentina Pitchina
