MARAT SAFIN: I didn't say I'm gonna retire, I'm just -- I'm happy that I had to play all the match all the way through, because I was missing a little bit of confidence. I was absolutley tired. So now it's completely different story.

Q. Is there any chance this could be like Australia, where you come in and people don't think you're much of a factor, then you start playing better and better and who knows what can happen?

MARAT SAFIN: That's always the best. Also it's very good to have a little bit quite strong draw so every match is important one and you don't lose today - how you say - when you have easy draw, you can lose to anybody. But once you have a strong draw, you motivate yourself. So you start to play automatically well. That's the case, because I have quite very tough draw. Calleri, Mantilla, then if I go through, it's Grosjean, so it's tough ones. So I hope it will be like in Australia, I will start to get better and better and I will have my chance.

Q. How far away do you think you are from your peak form?

MARAT SAFIN: How many times they ask me this question, far away. I'm far away. I'm far away. I still have to work on little things and I'm definitely not in the best shape right now. I'm missing a little bit of the confidence, but that's coming back. Just I totally can get better from now on.

Q. When you went home after Hamburg, did you ever think that you would not play here? Did you think you'd get a little bit of a break?

MARAT SAFIN: I need some kind of a -- just get out of tennis, because it was getting too much on my nerves and I was getting too -- I've been for a long time traveling from tournament to tournament, so I needed some time off. Took like five days off, I didn't touch the racquet, I enjoyed my friends and just did normal stuff that people do, and it helped.

So I come back here, I practice for four days, it was enough for me. And now I get motivation to move on. That's what I needed, you know, because it was a really difficult schedule. I mean all the months, we had like three Masters Series tournaments, then you have to make the preparation before the tournaments so it's a little bit too much of tennis for me.

Q. I think in '98 you beat Agassi and Kuerten, right?

MARAT SAFIN: Yep.

Q. Does that seem a long, long, long, long time ago?

MARAT SAFIN: Very long time ago.

Q. Marat Safin has changed very much since then?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, yeah. Quite a lot. But it's really long time ago.

But six years, but it was like for me was like it was yesterday. But I played so many years afterwards and I get more experience, I get much more, I think, clever. Of course if I would have the same brain as I have right now back then, it would be much easier, with the confidence that I got in that time, I was playing great. But I didn't know how to manage to win the tournament, and I was really playing well.

Great performance from me, great thing.

Q. You were briefly at the top of the world. In your generation, the top players have succeeded each other very quickly, Ferrero, Federer. Is it impossible to stay at the top for a few months given the demands of the game now?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, Federer, he managed to stay there for quite a long time.

Q. Months.

MARAT SAFIN: Months. He was there for much more. From January he became No. 1? Still not bad. He has the game, he has the power to be there. Like I said, because of the schedule and because of the tournaments are so tough and the level of the players outside of Top 10 and outside of Top 20 is much, much stronger than it used to be, so basically every match you are playing on the tournament, and any tournaments is a tough one.

Yeah, especially the schedule, the schedule is very tough. It's tournament after tournament. So if you have two straight Masters Series tournaments in a row, you can't play and win them all. You have to be really, really lucky with the draw and really, really full of confidence to do it, and also in great physical shape.

But now it seems like it's almost impossible.

Q. You won the US Open, you were at your peak. Do you have to do some more work to reach that level?

MARAT SAFIN: Of course I have to work, but that was probably a mistake to win the tournament. Probably if I would not win US Open, I would have won another Grand Slams and much more than one. So it's also -- it's two-side story.

But I was playing really well and I was just lucky to win the tournament.

Q. Do you have a court that you prefer? Do you prefer the clay or the hard surface?

MARAT SAFIN: I think at the beginning I used to like only clay because it was where I grew up. I spent several years in Spain and I learn how to play on clay and it was my surface. Now I like to play on hard courts. Hard courts and clay is my favorite ones. Grass, a little bit too difficult. And, well, indoors, indoors depends of the surface also.

Day 5  - Marat Safin interview
Friday, May 28, 2004

Q. How did it go last night? Did you sleep? Toss and turn?

MARAT SAFIN: No, no, I was great. I had a good treatment (smiling).

Q. And today you didn't have much trouble.

MARAT SAFIN: No, it was a little bit more of luck, a little bit taking my opportunities. I was lucky. I went for it.

Q. Did you like seeing that crowd around there? I had to stand to watch you. It was worth it.

MARAT SAFIN: Okay. At least that's good.

Q. Are you a masochist? You could finish in three sets and go home, have a nice dinner.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, I wish. But I couldn't. I couldn't. I really tried. I tried my best. Tried to make it short, but I couldn't just because he was playing great. I mean, I had to play all the time. I had to go a little bit for too much sometimes. Couldn't hold my serve a couple of times. That was a problem.

But I'm really satisfied that even in five sets I managed to win that match.

Q. In the history of Marat Safin crazy matches, this one is near the top?

MARAT SAFIN: Probably, yeah. The top one (smiling).

Q. Have you thought what would happen if you would have lost that match?

MARAT SAFIN: I didn't want to think about it. But it was kind of a weird situation because we both played well. Just it would be a pity, you know, to lose this kind of match with so many opportunities.

But the way the match went and the way the crowd was behind, I don't know, it was -- I didn't want to think about if I lose, what I'm going to do, how I'm going to get better, how I'm going to get my confidence back.

Q. No retirement in your mind?

MARAT SAFIN: No, not yet. Still a little bit too early.

Q. The incident at the net, I don't know if you touched the net or what happened there. It was one of the best.

MARAT SAFIN: When?

Q. The point at the net. You got a warning.

MARAT SAFIN: No, because I pulled my pants down.

Q. But you won the point.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, I won the point.

Q. You always win the point when you pull your pants down.

MARAT SAFIN: That's two points for that (laughter).

No, but really for me it was a big -- I mean, it was a terrible thing to do, just Carlos, also the supervisor on the court, Mike Morrissey. They just basically destroyed -- they tried to destroy the match. Just Bruno come there and just show that they are there sitting, doing nothing, which they have no clue about tennis. Try to show that they're above the tennis players, they put me a penalty point, which is a thing that is ridiculous.

Q. But you didn't touch the net, Love-40 and then 15-30?

MARAT SAFIN: No, no. It was supposed to be like Love-30, and then he pulled the penalty point. And that's really, really pity that -- these people, they shouldn't be even there. They shouldn't be. It's really a pity that we have these people running this. Why are you laughing?

Q. Because you pulled down your pants.

MARAT SAFIN: I bring you the video (smiling).

Q. Was the reason for the penalty point because you pulled down your pants?

MARAT SAFIN: I really don't think so. Nobody complained. Everybody was okay. It wasn't like really bad. But I don't understand why. The people like the chair umpire, the supervisor on the court, they should to come and they should destroy this just to show that they are there. Really, they have no clue about tennis.

All of the people who runs the sport, they have no clue. It's a pity that the tennis is really going down the drain. It's really a pity.

Q. But the argument was about what?

MARAT SAFIN: About I pull my pants down. Can you believe it (smiling)?

Q. Why did you pull your pants down? What was the argument?

MARAT SAFIN: Because? I don't know why. Because, because. I did it. It just happened.

Q. Some people play a point, stupendous point, raise their fist in the air. I don't think I've ever seen anybody pull their pants down to celebrate winning a point. What in your mind said, "Pull my pants down"?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, you see, that was the reason, so you guys will ask me five questions about the same thing, and I will give you all the time.

I don't know. I felt this way. I felt it was a great point for me. I felt like pulling my pants down. What's bad about it?

Q. Just confusing.

MARAT SAFIN: Confusing why? It's like, what, entertaining business. You try to make it fun. You try to make it -- you know, I am working my ass off on the court, it was full crowd, full stadium. We did a great job, I think. Was great tennis for four hours. Because of this incident, that's how we get treated by the people from ATP? You think it's fair? You think it's really fair?

Q. I'll have to think about this one.

MARAT SAFIN: You have to think about it, uh-huh.

Q. When you say that tennis is going down the drain, is that what you mean? That people don't like fun?

MARAT SAFIN: Because the people, they do everything is possible just to, you know -- just to take away the entertainment. You're not allowed to do that. You're not allowed to do this. You're not allowed to speak whenever you want to speak. You're not allowed to do many things. A lot of examples, I don't want to go into details.

But the way it's running, it's just a joke. It's really a joke. It's really a pity for me just to watch it from outside. I'm a tennis player, but I really -- I can sacrifice myself. Just for me to see how has been managing, it's just ridiculous.

Everybody loves this sport. I'm here. I'm really enjoying. I got everything from the sport, everything I have, and I give everything what I have. And that's how -- like the ATP, they really appreciate that. It's really bad that this has been managed this way.

And like every year it's getting worse, worse and worse. I don't know where we're going to end up like this. It cannot go like this anymore. It has to be a radical change, and I hope it will be really soon.

Q. There was a thing in Monte-Carlo about Schuettler taking a photograph of a line call. He got a point penalty for that.

MARAT SAFIN: Exactly. One of the examples. It's really a pity. It's really sad to see it, that nobody does anything about such a great sport. It's really, it's really bad, because nobody had power or courage just to do and to take it, start from all over again. Nobody can do it. Unfortunately, yeah, it's what happens.

Q. Both defending champions are gone, a lot of unseeded players are winning, a lot of upsets, pants are falling down, is this a crazy French Open or is it just exactly what a French Open is every time?

MARAT SAFIN: That's tennis. That's tennis. It happens. It can happen. We are playing the same sport. No matter what happens, tennis is still tennis. You can see a lot of great matches, a lot of new people. It's doing well.

Q. How do you feel about where your game is right now?

MARAT SAFIN: I'm trying to get over this -- these kind of matches to get the confidence, try to play better and better, and just looking forward. Let's see where I'm going to play next match. I hope I'll be more lucky and I hope I'll just play better and better and try to do well.

I mean, I'm looking -- I'm not looking for big results, but I'm just trying to play match by match and try to... I don't know, slowly.

Q. Sometimes you make a simple mistake, then you lose three points in a row. Don't you think you should be more indulgent with yourself?

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but it's me. You cannot change me. This is the way I am. That's why I'm who I am. That's why I am where I am. I can't do anything about it. Probably I'll not be so successful if I will keep everything in myself inside of me.

Q. Tomorrow Potito Starace, do you know anything more about him than we do?

MARAT SAFIN: No. I heard a couple of times about him, I saw him in Rome practicing, and actually yesterday. He's really a great player, can do everything. He can play forehand, backhand, great serve. He has confidence. He beat Grosjean, which is a big win for him. So he'll give me a hard time tomorrow.

But I'll be there. I'll be there. I will have to play really good because he's full of confidence.

Q. During the match with Mantilla, did you have the feeling that Mantilla was taking some advantage, calling the physiotherapist in the fifth set? Were you nervous about it? I heard on TV you said also some words to him, is that correct?

MARAT SAFIN: No, to him I didn't. I have nothing against him at all. I mean, I said what I thought to the chair umpire. He heard everything. I said everything what I thought about. Yeah, he deserve it. He really deserve it.

Q. You talk about there being a need for change in the game. Are you planning on leading the coup?

MARAT SAFIN: I'm not leading anything. I'm just getting people to realize it, because nobody said anything before. I don't know, whatever I said to you, it will cause me a lot of problems, with the schedule, with the courts. They might. They might do everything. It's possible just to put me on the side. I don't care. I really don't care. Just it has to happen.

Also, the press, they deserve to be treated much better. I'm not only blaming the players, the players, the players are doing this wrong, that are do this things. Like all the time it's the players. But it's not always the players. The players are doing their job, and they're trying to do whatever they can. But if you don't have enough like knowledge, the people who are running the sport, at least give the opportunities for the players to do what they can. And they will really appreciate.

Nobody did anything stupid. Nobody did anything ridiculous on the court that is really like, you know, you have to put a penalty point or whatever. I mean, everybody understands the sport, and everybody understands what is good for the crowd, and what is not. They really respect it with the people. You'll never treat bad the people who are watching, especially when it's full stadium, and they really want to see a big show.

Q. The moustache and the beard, is it your tribute to the Musketeers because you're at the French Open?

MARAT SAFIN: No, I'm just trying to keep my luck. I will shave it after I lose.

Q. Did you talk to Mantilla in the locker room afterwards?

MARAT SAFIN: No. He wants to kill me probably, so...

About what?

Q. "Good match."

MARAT SAFIN: No. He said everything on the court. It was a great match. Unlucky.

Q. He said that to you?

MARAT SAFIN: No, he was unlucky. I told to him.

Q. What do you think the fine is for pulling down your pants?

MARAT SAFIN: I don't care. I doesn't really care. Has no price for this.

Q. No idea?

MARAT SAFIN: No price for this.

Q. Have you ever done it before?

MARAT SAFIN: Never. Never happen to me. But this point really deserve that.

Q. You're with your 373rd coach. Have you ever thought, "If I stay with one coach, I might have a more consistent time on the court"?

MARAT SAFIN: Probably.

Q. Why not?

MARAT SAFIN: Don't ask me. There's a lot of people that don't want to work with me, like Chesnokov, Volkov. A lot of people, they were there, I just had nobody to travel with. I always said there's Volkov, Chesnokov, I made which I used to travel before which is my manager, they are not coaches. Basically in my life, I had three coaches.

365 coaches is what you're trying to say?

Q. I can't remember the other 365.

MARAT SAFIN: No. So remember it next time.

Q. You say the officials are trying to take the fun out of the sport. I know you're a big football fan. You see it with referees, players celebrating, they get yellow cards, sometimes sent off. Do you think sometimes the officials are trying to be bigger than the players?

MARAT SAFIN: In our sport, yes, definitely.

Q. Why do you think that is?

MARAT SAFIN: You really have to ask them this question. They will probably give you really good excuses, which for me is a little bit ridiculous.