As qualifiers fought it out for precious positions in the Nasdaq-100 Open main draw and fellow pros traded strokes and jokes on the practice courts, the temperamental titan who regained his Grand Slam form by reaching the Australian Open final two months ago engaged in a spirited practice with Finnish lefthander Jarkko Nieminen inside the stadium.

About 28 fans sat scattered in various seats watching the pair pop potent topspin shots that jumped off the court and echoed throughout the stadium alternating with the steady squeal of sneakers to create a sound track of tennis effort.

Though both players have first-round byes — the 29th-seeded Nieminen will face either Todd Martin or Ivo Heuberger in the second round, while the 31st-seeded Safin awaits the winner of the all-American clash between James Blake and Vince Spadea — they played the final minutes of today's practice as if it were a match.

Sprinting to the sideline to hit a saving running forehand, Safin spun, changed direction and charged toward the net. It was a dazzling display of agility from the six-foot-four Safin, who correctly anticipated Nieminen's pass down the line only to knock the forehand volley into the net.

Shouting some self-critical phrases at himself, Safin picked up the ball that failed to clear the net and belted it into the 12th row of the stands with so much force the ball looked as altered as an altoid when it splattered against the stadium wall below the F section of bleachers.

Lashing his lefty inside-out forehand to Safin's forehand Nieminen frequently found the inside of the sideline with clean winners. Dripping with sweat, Safin was always on his toes shuffling laterally or surging forward. It was the fast footwork of an eager player who looks as fit as he was when he scorched Pete Sampras in straight sets to take the 2000 U.S. Open — one of seven titles he won that year. In his final service game of the practice, Safin really began to find his range, pounding crosscourt shots off both sides and moving forward to slam a pair of overhead winners.

As Ai Sugiyama stretched on the side of the court waiting her turn to practice, Safin motioned to play one more point. Then he slammed an ace down the middle. A smiling Safin took the last ball out of his pocket and smacked it out of the stadium. "Thank you!" Safin said to the small crowd, stopping to sign autographs for three kids before leaving.

A second-round casualty to Davide Sanguinetti in Miami last year, Safin faces a challenging second-round test from either Blake or Spadea, who started the month beating Blake, Andy Roddick and Nicolas Kiefer in succession to claim his first career tournament title in Scottsdale. Safin, who has never played Spadea, beat Blake 7-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 in the fourth round of the Australian Open. Should Safin surpass the second round he could play eighth-seeded David Nalbandian in the third round.

Top players practiced throughout the day, which began with Lleyton Hewitt posing for photos and signing autographs with a group of young Florida Special Olympics tennis players. A smiling Hewitt signed autographs, t-shirts and posed for photos with kids and staff members.

Fellow adidas endorsers Paradorn Srichaphan and Alex Bogomolov, Jr. played points as Paradorn's father and coach, Chanachai, paced on the sideline. An hour later, Bogomolov's fiancee, Ashley Harkleroad hit on the same court.

Xavier Malisse, clad in an orange t-shirt, whipped forehands on a practice court as former French Open champion Andres Gomez sat and spoke to a friend. Paola Suarez sprinted, split-stepped and leaped in a series of agility drills on the grass behind a bank of four practice courts while Todd Martin walked by holding racquet in one hand and a jump rope in the other.