US OPEN

August 30, 2000

Marat Safin

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

MARAT SAFIN: So what you want me to say? That first of all, it's first round. I didn't play like for ten days, since final of Indianapolis. So you come to also the big stadium, a lot of people. So it's little bit tough to start again. To play a tournament in ten days, I think it's too much. You practice, you practice, but you need to play some matches. So the first one is really tough one because you have to start to move your legs; you have to be concentrated. And today it was, this match, you have to find, even playing not your best tennis, you have to try to have this attitude on the court, just trying. Try to make the game a little bit easier. Try to put the ball inside the court. I don't have to make some winners. Just trying to play my game. I mean it's for the next match, because you start to prepare. You have to play better and better. So try to put the ball inside, try to make something new, open angles, better play tactically. Sometimes, of course, you lose your concentration, what happened in the second set. Because, of course, after ten days, it's a little bit tough to be 100 percent on the court and actually especially against this guy because he makes unbelievable winners. Sometimes he miss the balls, I mean easy balls. So it's a little bit tough to be there because you don't know what's gonna come on next shot. Also, I'm glad that I made it. I won the next two sets 6-4, 6-4. Not playing my best tennis, but I was there. I tried to hold. He had some opportunities. I just played. Even the percentage was very low, but I make 23, 24 aces, so not so bad. And actually I try to put the ball inside the court, but sometimes I miss very easy shots. So now I have -- I know where I have to work on the court now for the next match.

MARAT SAFIN: In the third?

MARAT SAFIN: First?

MARAT SAFIN: It was a problem in all sets I think. But actually I didn't serve -- I don't know -- just is difficult to serve. It's very, you know -- you mean return the serve?

MARAT SAFIN: Oh, returning. I have this problem already three weeks against Guga especially, happened in the final of Indianapolis. I had so many opportunities on the second serve, and I couldn't put the ball inside the court and try to make the point. Because I missed all the time. So I have to focus a little bit more on the second serve, return. You have to -- you don't have to put you under pressure, also. Because always when you think, "Oh, second serve, I don't know how to return," also you don't have to think this way. You just have to think what you have to do and try to make it. And one day it will come. Because it's not a question of five minutes; it's a question of days. And I hope if I will start this way just to say to myself, "Okay, let's put inside -- the ball inside the court, try to hit it because otherwise it's just pushing the ball, is no chance. Because it's flying very far." So you have to hit it. But I cannot -- is difficult to convince yourself, because you -- I was a little bit scared today returning second serve, because I wanted to make a break and so I was a little bit under pressure.

MARAT SAFIN: Was a mistake.

MARAT SAFIN: Of course. It's a big opportunity to -- not to win, but, yes, actually, I want to win it. (Laughing.) But the question is first match, you want to pass through it. If you pass first round, you gonna be dangerous. So I try to find my game, but I was a little bit under pressure. Little bit too much. You don't have to put yourself so tight because the game, it will come. It's a question of two, three days, nothing more. Two matches, and everything gonna come.

MARAT SAFIN: I think when I -- I rush. Sometimes I rush too much. You know, I come, I serve, second serve, boom, boom, double-fault. You have to come, you have to stand, bam, bam, bam, bounce the balls, enough to think about the movement and just think. But sometimes I forget about this. But when I hear, "Yea, Marat," it's already Love-40. Sometimes it's too late to remind yourself you have to throw the ball a little bit higher, relax, take it easy. But sometimes I thought about this when it was 15-40, Love-40, so I have to be a little bit clever.

MARAT SAFIN: Is not the pressure, it's very nice from the part of ATP Tour just to make -- to promote us. Because I think we are the future of tennis. I think Ferrero, Guga, Hewitt, a lot of guys there. We will be there in two, three years. Sampras and Andre, they not gonna play forever, right? So somebody has to take their places. Everybody wants to do it. Everybody from the new generation, New Balls Please, we want to be there. So it's very nice that they took it, everything serious. I mean the new guys. It's very nice from their part. But it's just a name. Now you have to show who you are, what you can do, and what you want also for yourself. Because it's just a name, is nothing special. You not a millionaire because your name is in New Balls Please, so you have to show that you are these kind of guys who will be in two or three years No. 1 in the world.

MARAT SAFIN: Sometimes it helps me a lot. Sometimes no. But I can't play -- I can't play very quiet. I have to -- because otherwise it's coming like -- it's coming, you missing, every time you say to yourself, "Don't worry, don't worry," but when you miss the tenth ball in a row, I cannot handle it.

MARAT SAFIN: That I'm a very nice guy. (Laughing.) If you do it one more time... (Laughing.) No. I just want to, I don't know, I need to shout or I need to throw the racquet. Otherwise, it's difficult to play because you get very nervous each time. So you throw the racquet, you shout, you say to yourself, "Come on, let's play a little bit tennis," then you start to -- you become relaxed, a little bit more relaxed, and you can play tennis. Sometimes it works; sometimes no. But normally it works.

MARAT SAFIN: I don't know. I don't -- I'm not interested for the moment in the coach because --

MARAT SAFIN: No, no. Because everybody is not coming to you and say, "If you want, I'm here, just give me a call when you need me." I never heard this. I know the circle of people, you know, who wants to work, who needs a job so I will make a choice. Not them. But I know if I will come, I have to choose. They don't have to come. I mean I know who is there, who is not there because I mean -- I don't know. They're not bothering me at all. I'm very satisfied that the people, they don't want -- they're not putting pressure, "Just work with me, I'll make you No. 1 in the world," or, "Come with me, I'll make you the best." It's very nice. They don't come and they don't bother me. It's good.

MARAT SAFIN: Six.

MARAT SAFIN: I don't know. I think I have -- I think I'm the only guy who coming out with six racquets. Normally people, they have more.

MARAT SAFIN: Unfortunately, no. (Laughter.)

MARAT SAFIN: Five. (Laughter.) I make the present for the people.

MARAT SAFIN: Yes.

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