TMS - LISBON

November 28, 2000

Marat Safin

MODERATOR: Questions in English.

MARAT SAFIN: I wasn't nervous, but I was a little bit angry with myself that I didn't make so stupid mistakes. I mean, I 5-3 in the first set, 5-4 serving for the set. My confidence, my concentration completely gone. Alex, he serve for the match. But then suddenly everything just changed. He just let me play a little bit more. He let me get into the match. Because he serve all the time from the second serve, so he gives me an opportunity to make him a break. Finally, satisfied with my third set after these two horrible sets. Finally I found my game. It gives me confidence, at least.

MARAT SAFIN: I think it's important for me because he knows me very well. He knows me. We know each other since 14 years old, since I was 14. He knows what I need in each moment of the match. Sometimes we get angry on each other, but it's normal. I mean, we know too good each other, so it's almost after the match it's not any problem. But in the match, when I get nervous, you have to shout on someone, so we shout on each other. We get angry in the difficult moments of the match. But I need him. I definitely need him because he support me a lot, gives me confidence.

MARAT SAFIN: For what?

MARAT SAFIN: No, I think it's also we have to be -- we have to understand that it's anybody's fault. It's my fault because I'm losing the match, definitely. But also you need some help when you are out there. You need some not support, but to hear something new because sometimes you get lost in the match. From the side, you can see what is happening on the court. And I need it. I need someone to help me. So sometimes I get nervous because I don't receive anything. You know, I don't receive some few words that you need to know what is going wrong. Because today, as you can see, in the first two sets, something was going wrong. I didn't know what happened, so I need to, you know, show something, to tell me something, you know, to get me back to the match. But also if I lose, it's anybody's fault. First of all, it's my fault, definitely.

MARAT SAFIN: With all my respect to Australian team, I mean, they have great players: Lleyton, Mark and Patrick, great doubles. But we have to understand that they going to play in Barcelona, in Spain. It's probably going to be probably 10,000 Spanish people, you know, with the flags, with everything, with all the things you can imagine just for Spanish team. Also they're playing on clay. It's going to be very slow clay, so I don't think -- of course, they have chances, but the favorites for me are the Spanish team because they're playing at home, because it's going to be slow clay court. I think is enough.

MARAT SAFIN: In general, for the first day, I think it's okay. But also I'm not happy because I put in a wrong way all my game. It was a big mistake. I mean, 5-3, I was playing okay. I was doing the minimum that's possible to beat him. He just beat me first two sets, and suddenly I decide to play tennis. Already I start from the beginning, and was getting better and better and better. Finally in the third set, it was okay. But also you can realize that No. 1 cannot play like this, like second set and like first.

MARAT SAFIN: First of all, it's responsibility. You have to be responsible because No. 1 -- I mean, it's nice to be No. 1, right? At least once in your life, it's nice. But also when you're going to the court, you have to understand, you have to have in your mind that you are No. 1. You cannot do stupid things. Yes, of course, breaking racquets, shouting, it's normal. But, I mean, making so many mistakes, get lost in the match, I didn't know where to run, no serve. I mean, of course, the guy, he played very well also. I don't want to say that I didn't play at all. I was there. I fighting. I fighted there. But also I was responsible because I No. 1. I have to fight. At least I have to show something to the people because they're coming here to watch the No. 1.

MARAT SAFIN: Enough motivation to play, but it's tough also. I mean, everybody wants to beat you, it's normal, and you have to give all your best on the court. Of course, I would like to finish No. 1 this year. It would be great.

MARAT SAFIN: Sorry about that. That's life.

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