US OPEN

September 1, 2000

Marat Safin

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Marat.

MARAT SAFIN: I think it was, yeah, the second round also wasn't -- I didn't play my best game. And also like the first match, it was little bit tight. Second round was very tight. I mean five sets, and I didn't even know that I wasn't sure if I can win this match. I was already afraid in the fifth set because I didn't play actually so bad. I didn't play -- also I didn't play my game. I just try to put the ball inside the court, try to move, but too soft. So he was pushing under pressure all the time. He was hitting great the ball, it's not my game, I cannot play like this and I cannot win. On the fifth set, of course, I decide to hit. It was big difference. I was 4-1 up, I had opportunity to make 5-1, and unfortunately, I think he played some games he played very well and some games I wanted just to handle my serve, hold my serve, and try to win. Okay, so 6-3, I hold my serve and I can win. It was in this case 6-4. I mean in the game with 5-3, with my serve, the guy serve 132 miles per hour on the line. What can you do? Nothing. You just -- I think he played very good game. I didn't serve very good first two points. That's it. It was 5-4, you know, already I didn't know what to do because he played great. I was already little bit out of confidence. Actually, I start to risk a little bit, I make the mistake on 15-40, easy one on the net. I said, "Okay, I still have 5-4, I can fight a little bit more, try to return first two service in 5-4. If I can have a chance, of course I have to risk. Otherwise, if it works, okay. If it doesn't work, okay. We still have time to hold your serve and put the pressure one more time on his serve." I just -- 5-4, he just serve. I return, was very fast. Was way -- wasn't big rallies. I played some good shots. He made two easy mistakes, and that's it. The match was gone. Also I couldn't -- he save five matchpoints or four, I think. I said to myself, "I think I am going to lose today, because there's no chance to beat him." I put twice on the -- how you say -- on the net, on the bottom, outside, white line.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, top. Twice. I mean I said, "I think it's not my day, and I can lose." So I just fight. That's it. Nothing special.

MARAT SAFIN: I think both of them. Because he just played his game. I played too soft. And I wanted him make mistakes. I mean is not possible. And I just try to convince myself to play little bit more aggressive, just try to play little bit faster, try to make some new things. And finally, I was learn enough to change my game in the fifth set. I try to make the game a little bit faster because he's at his game definitely, to hit sometimes the ball, then line, go to the net. Something new because otherwise it's a pain in the ass playing like this. (Laughter.) He tries putting the ball inside the court, which is not your game. And for what? Like this, I would not win. So I just -- I have nothing to lose already. Five sets, it's a lottery. Somebody is making good shots, make some good returns. Like I said before, he can make easy break and that's it. The match is gone. So you have to risk. I took a risk, tried to play a little bit faster. That's it.

MARAT SAFIN: Normally, if I would play since the beginning like I played the fifth set, with little bit more confidence next time, I think I can play great tennis because it doesn't go anywhere, the shots. It's a question of be a little bit more patient and don't be scared, try to play point by point, and just fight and try to make -- try to play right tactically. It's very important. Because you can play with a guy wrong tactically and it's -- you're not gonna win. Even if you're 100 times much better than him. If you play wrong, how you can beat him? If you only play 50 percent of your power, but you play right tactically, it's much easier. You have to be clever, match clever on the court.

MARAT SAFIN: Nothing. Just I am a little bit fat. I can feel it. Of course you cannot feel I am still the -- I have the same body, but I don't know how, but I am five kilos more than normal. So you can -- it was tough to run with five kilos more. Also, you have to work a little bit. Tomorrow I have -- today, at home, I lost two kilos. Tomorrow I have time to lose another three. So you have to do it. Because it's very difficult to run. You get tired and it's very difficult to hold the concentration during the match. But if you're good physically, you can hold your concentration. I think if I can do it, I can play great tennis here. But it's little bit -- I need to work a little bit physically, which will help me to hold the concentration. Very simple.

MARAT SAFIN: I think at the end it gave me already -- I didn't play so bad. I played better here also. But I think I am not saying to myself that, you know, it's how can I play five sets against Pozzi? He good player. He's clever enough, very clever guy, 35 years old, Jesus, hee must be clever. (Laughter. So I am satisfied with my fifth set. I'm really satisfied. Even when I was afraid, I played some great points and some good decisions and I played very good tactically. But of course when you're tired, it's difficult to hold it and it's difficult to run with five kilos more. Believe me.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, because you also -- he plays very soft. I know. But with his slices, you cannot attack because they are very low and you have to be -- it's difficult to attack on this -- on this shots. For me, it's impossible. I couldn't do anything. He just had to make the point first, and after when he make -- try to build the point backhand. Then the forehand because at least he can -- the ball bounce a little bit higher, because with a backhand, when he have the ball, it's difficult to do something special. So you have to make the point. You can't make unbelievable shots all over the court during three hours. You get crazy or it's unbelievable day if you make it. Because all the times, even three hours, with same concentration, make winners from this slice, you are a genius. But normally, you drive crazy. What is normally happens. But if you make it three hours, you make winners from his slice from the backhand, you're best player in the world.

MARAT SAFIN: I think first of all it doesn't matter who won the -- if Moya won in '98, Roland Garros, and Agassi won this year Australian, you can see he lost to Clement. I think there is another guys like Norman, like Kiefer, like Ferrero, they're great players. Norman, he lost in the Finals in Roland Garros, but it doesn't say anything because it's already in the past. It's this matter, it depends how they play, it depends how you play. And of course it's actually against Norman, against Ferrero, against Kiefer, it's the closest guy to me. They can play, they can even win here. They have a big opportunity, but the most experienced guy gonna beat him.

MARAT SAFIN: I think they can win. But it depends. Of course the public is -- they talk -- the public react only when they win the Grand Slam, the big tournament. Then they talk about how great he is, but they don't count how many tournaments, how many small tournaments, how many tournaments he won this year. He won five tournaments or four tournaments. I mean and also final in Roland Garros. But unfortunately, doesn't count. It counts only the Grand Slam tournaments. But I think it's difficult for us, it's completely different than for public. I mean Norman, for me, is huge. Kiefer is huge. Ferrero is huge. But of course, I mean for the moment, they play better than Andre I think, in better shape. But of course for the public it's much better Agassi. How you can compare Agassi to Norman? The public will say, "Right." But I think Norman is better, for the moment is better, much better than Andre. Even he doesn't win one Grand Slam. But it depends how you want to represent them to the public. It's one side. How you represent them to the public. And is another side how you represent them to the players. So it's little bit -- it's difficult to answer right on this question. For me, even the guys who never won the Grand Slam, for me, they are huge. More than maybe for the moment Pete or Andre, with all my respect. They are unbelievable players, but other guys who never won the Grand Slam, I think they are better than them. That's my opinion.

MARAT SAFIN: If I have to, I will play. (Laughter.) But of course normally, we have to be there. Where I'm seeded, 6th, he's 12th. We have a good opportunity to meet there. But we still have to pass one round each, and we'll see. If we play like both of us in five sets, I don't know what will happen in the next round. We have to play little bit better. We have to be little bit clever. If we meet, it will be great match. If we will have enough energy to make a great match. Otherwise, it's difficult to make our games without energy, because it's gonna be big rallies. I think we can make great match. Can be. But it can be also the worst one if we don't have energy to play.

MARAT SAFIN: Just friend. He just carrying my bags, like friend. (Laughing.)

MARAT SAFIN: Of course. But when it's happens once, is okay. Twice, you start to be little bit worried. Three times, you say, "Come on." Four times, you want to kill the guy. I mean you say to him, "Pay a little bit more attention on these bounces, please." I mean I came to him, said, "Come on, man, let's be little bit more concentrated." "Yes, yes, the machine doesn't work." What it mean, the machine doesn't work? The machine count. The ball is out, you have to call. So why you sitting there? No answer. I think it's five mistakes in one match, which can cost me probably easy $50,000 because of machine doesn't work, machine -- bounces on the serve. I don't understand this. Okay, you can make a few mistakes. But I mean very close ones. But if the ball is going like this out (indicating) three times, four times, sorry, I don't know. I don't understand this. Or you are not good enough, so why you sitting there? Or you pay a little bit more attention on the court when the players are there. I hope he will do it, the guys from the TV gonna show him how many mistakes he make in the match. Of course I went crazy because I am telling the ball is out. The guy, the linesmen also, they are watching me with a face like I'm stupid. And in this case, I mean first of all, if I am telling -- you think the ball is out, you can answer something. Human beings, we are not computer, linesmen, so please respect me; I respect you. If you make sorry, you know, I think for me is -- what can I do? I will hit him, no? Please respect me; I respect you. We are in the same business. With everybody on the court. So please answer the questions. What is -- I'm not gonna kill anybody. I'm just will tell him that, "Please, just little bit of attention more, hmm?" It's so easy, so simple. But when they look with me with the face like I'm stupid, it piss me off of course. Actually, when I'm right also. So is not right. I think so.

MARAT SAFIN: I was close, very close to break one racquet. And if I will break the racquet, of course who gonna say, "Violation, racquet abuse, Mr. Safin." Everybody knows this like, you know, they can be a genius. The chair umpires. But when they have to see the marks on the court, nobody -- he is not -- is business. But of course he is business when he call the violation. Everybody knows this. They have to pay a little bit more attention on these bounces. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Okay. What can I do?