| Интервью
An Interview with Marat Safin November 18, 2004 Q. You were very close today to win the first set, to win the second set. What went wrong? SAFIN: I couldn't beat him here. Can you imagine if I beat him here, what's gonna happen (smiling). Just a little bit unlucky. It's like I always say, the tiebreaks are a lottery. I had my chances. It could go both, you know, like 7-6, 7-6, to me. But, unfortunately, just wasn't my day. Was not the day. I did everything right. I couldn't say that I made a huge mistakes. The volley, yeah, but the volley is also like little bit unlucky, because just maybe one shot. But I had chances before to break him, and it sucks but... I'm not sad. I'm not sad. I'm still alive. I still have a chance tomorrow against Tim , and hopefully, the way I'm playing, I'm really glad that I'm playing well. I'm feeling each time better and better. It's a little difficult to play outdoors, tough conditions. But it's pretty good. Q. So what would happen if you beat him here? SAFIN: I don't want to think about it, what would happen. What would happen to the tournament, to the crowd, to the people? I don't know. I don't want to think about it. Q. Why? SAFIN: Are you serious? Q. Very. SAFIN: (Smiling). I don't want to make him sad. His hometown. Q. It's my understanding that you didn't want to have the replay being played on the big monitors. Why was that? Is it true? SAFIN: I didn't mind the replay, but the thing is when you are playing the point and there is -- they are showing the same time the match, it's a little bit, you know, the eyes automatically are going somewhere. So you cannot concentrate basically on the court. It's kind of difficult a little bit. But between the points, why not? I don't care. They can put anything they want. Just during the points, it's a little bit disturbing. Q. Also, you seemed to have played a great match, but it seemed like the short balls gave you a little trouble, or you got a little unlucky on your approach shots. SAFIN: I didn't really feel comfortable with this. I don't know, like for some reason I couldn't make a decision, you know, what to do. Because is also like on important points I didn't want to risk it, I want to risk it, then I thought that just maybe I should stay back and try to, you know, try to play with him from the baseline because I have more chance to beat him from the baseline than just I think - how you say? - more stable, better on baseline than him. So just keep him on the baseline and try to win the point. Sometimes I should have gone and I didn't. Sometimes I went. So basically not really consistent, you know. I couldn't make a decision. Q. Marat , it's been a while since you last played Tim . Is there one of your matches in the past which stands out in your mind? SAFIN: Which one? Q. Is there one? Or do you not remember them? SAFIN: Again, again. Q. Is there one of your previous matches with Tim which stands out for you? SAFIN: Not really. No. Q. Thanks. SAFIN: (Laughing). Q. What do you think the key is going to be to tomorrow's game then? SAFIN: Just who's gonna be more focused and who's gonna be more like -- who have more balls, you know - seriously. It's all about. Because the match, it's really important match for both of us. Who's gonna win is gonna go to the semifinal. Who gonna go for it. This kind of game, he has a very difficult game, serve and volley all the time, putting pressure. Me, I would have to stay -- try to stay focused and sometimes go for it on the passing shots. Be more, I would say -- just be able to go for it sometimes, because I would have to. I would not have to try and stay -- and play the points from the baseline. You have to create something, because he can play from the baseline, he can volley. He has pretty good serve. So you have to go for it, play your game, not be scared of missing. |