TMS MONTE CARLO

April 16, 2002

Marat Safin

M. SAFIN/T. Robredo
4-6, 6-3, 6-2

An Interview With:

MARAT SAFIN: No, it was just a blister that was -- had to take care of it. In the match it starts to bother me. I couldn't slide. Because when I was stepping my foot, it was a little bit bothering me.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, it's... I mean, I was a newcomer just, for me, it was like few years ago. But that's already like five years ago, four years ago. And I'm already, you know, fourth year on the tour. To play the new guy, it's something new for me, especially when he's 15 years old. I think he's great player. You don't have to look at the age anymore, because everybody can play tennis. Everybody can beat anybody. And he showed that he can play tennis. He beat Voinea, he beat Davydenko, guys that are already Top 100. He beat them in two sets. And in the first match in the main draw he beat Squillari, which is a tough opponent. He beat him in three sets.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. He has very good timing, you know. Great shots. But, you know, also if -- I have to play against him tomorrow, so anyway I know how to play also and I am little bit -- I have more experience than him. I would say that I would have to win so I would have to find, you know, weak points of his game. So I find out tomorrow.

MARAT SAFIN: Today, except the first set and a half, which is just I couldn't find my game. Of course it's very difficult to play at 10 o'clock in the morning, which is, for me, it's very unusual. And especially against an opponent like Tommy Robredo. He's also young, he wants to play, he wants to win, and he's very motivated. Just I couldn't find. He start very well, very fast. Then I just changed in the second set. Middle of second set I start to do something new, just hitting the ball and try to move him around the court, which I cannot do it in the first set. I was probably still sleeping or I was too late... on rally I was too late. I had no time. I was running all over the place. Then I start to play a little bit open angles, just open the court, play a little bit more smart first set. Then it was -- eventually score was 6-3, 6-2.

MARAT SAFIN: No, blister. Was blister. It's very usual for players.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but also you have to see that Monte-Carlo tournament is really, really -- is very soon, you know. I mean it's just right after Miami, and you have no chance to prepare yourself. Especially for me. I'm more hardcourt player than clay at the moment. And for me it's difficult to change. It takes very long time. It's like two, three weeks that I need to work every day and play a few tournaments. But opportunity that we have is to play Estoril or Casablanca, then fly here and just play straightaway the tournament in Monte-Carlo which for me is very difficult. I cannot manage it. So that's why I lost four times in a row here and I couldn't win a set. And today just I was happy. I was lucky that I won. Now at least I have -- I have confidence and I'm confident enough to move on and try to think I could win this tournament. Because I am satisfied with my second and third set.

MARAT SAFIN: Not anymore. I mean, the Juniors, and I know myself also when I played the first time Roland Garros when I qualified, I didn't really care because you have nothing to lose actually. You're not, you know -- he's playing in France basically. His people support him. He's in good shape. He has nothing to lose. He's just playing his matches. He's play relaxed, is like in practice. Everything is going inside, you know, whatever comes. He's hitting the ball hard. Of course it's not so difficult, you know... But let's see if he can make it after something else, after this tournament, you know, not just one tournament. And then it's long way to go still. So... But I think has great potential, great tennis, which is I'm sure that he will manage to, you know, get inside of Top 100. And after we'll see.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, I watched him. I really like his game I think. It's really nice - one-hand backhand, great serve for 15 years old. You know, because many people, they don't have really good serve because they still growing and it's difficult to -- you have to correct the technique and everything. He's hitting the serve very well. Great timing, I mean, with his shots. Just he knows the game pretty well at the time. I'm surprised. He is 15 and he knows how to play.

MARAT SAFIN: I don't think so. Is long time that -- since, I don't know, who was the last one who made in Top 100 just playing big tournaments when he was 16 years old? I don't know who it was. Maybe I know from Russians, Medvedev.

MARAT SAFIN: Chang maybe. But we are talking about in '88, '87. Now is 2002. Everything is much faster, and it's really difficult to adapt yourself to the level that we are playing.

MARAT SAFIN: Yes. Especially also, I mean, he grew up in France. It's a big advantage. Tennis in France is great. You have great -- also great coaches, and everybody's playing more or less similar, you know? Doesn't -- it's great. You have great teachers I think here, great technique. And very talented players, actually: Grosjean, Clement, Escude, Pioline. Is beautiful tennis. He's more or less same as Pioline, one-handed backhand. Just great. So I think the parents, they are also very good coaches. And of course it helps. Of course. But it never worked until, I don't know -- it work until you are 15, 16 maximum. Then you have to change. Then you have to take a coach because you stop to respect the parents because the parents, they have to stay parents and the coach is a coach. So you have to separate these two things.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but also I played Davis Cup. But it was indoor clay, so it's not the same like outdoor clay, but still it's more or less you have to adapt your game to clay a little bit. Then I played Estoril, I won two rounds. I played my matches, was great. At least I had -- I played three matches already on clay. So it helps. Of course it helps. Definitely you need to play a few matches before such big event.