PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 10, 2002

Marat Safin

MODERATOR: Questions for Marat.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. I think it was the right thing at that moment, to play all these tournaments, because I had no other solution. I already spoke about this. I think everything is clear. I think for me it was the right decision. That's it.

MARAT SAFIN: I'm good. You know, I played well in Australia. I won the last match in Davis Cup. I played only one tournament after Australian Open. It was in Rotterdam. Unfortunately, I didn't do very well, I lost second round. But I'm just trying to play less, and I try to do better in the tournaments, than to play a lot of tournaments. Some of them you'll not do well. It's just less tournaments, better quality.

MARAT SAFIN: No, no, no.

MARAT SAFIN: No, I couldn't made it worse because I spoke with my medicals, with the people that I know. They said is not a problem. Just, you know, you have to wait and you have to take a rest during one month, three weeks, then it's going to be okay. But I couldn't make it because I had no other solution, so that's why I had to play all these tournaments. That's why I couldn't do very well actually here. Basically I spoiled all the year. Like I said, I had no other solution.

MARAT SAFIN: Because anyway, if you're playing a lot of tournaments, it's difficult to do well in all of them, and the quality of your game is going down with the time because your fitness is not so well, you're not fit after two or three weeks of playing tournaments in a row, you know. It's not good for the spectators, it's not good for me, because I'm also losing confidence. I think it's better to prepare well, play less tournaments, do better results and have more confidence. You are more satisfied, have you more time to enjoy your life actually. You have enough time to enjoy it, to spend the money as well (smiling).

MARAT SAFIN: No. I'm traveling with a guy, his name is Amit Naor. He's my manager. We're trying to work with him. I'm trying to work with him. For the moment is going well. I don't want to change anything. I'm satisfied with the work we are doing.

MARAT SAFIN: Mats, yeah, I think everybody understands that Mats is playing tournaments, Senior Tour, and he has a family. It's a little bit difficult to have a coach for all the year. That's what I need, a coach that he can spend with me like 30, 40 weeks a year. He could not make it for these reasons. He's playing tournaments and he has a family, which I respect. So I think the right solution was, you know, just to finish. I'm still having contact with him. We are good friends. That's more important than to have a business together, I think.

MARAT SAFIN: I have my vacations, you know, because after the trip to Australia, you need a few days to recover because it's a long trip. You have to celebrate anyway because it's not many times in life you will make the final of Grand Slam. Then, yeah, I played Rotterdam. I had like also two weeks, so I had time to rest. I had ten days of preparation before this tournament, and I'm fit. I'm looking forward. I want to do well here because I have nothing to defend. I think I'm ready for this.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, I heard this when I left. I left New York on Sunday. The planes crashed I think on Tuesday morning. So basically, yeah, I was lucky that I lost to Pete, so I had time to get out of there.

MARAT SAFIN: I was in Tashkent. I was really shocked. I think it's too much. It was too much for me. Too much for everybody.

MARAT SAFIN: It will be more difficult to get a visa to the States, that's the main thing, especially for Russians (laughter). But, no, it's okay. It's more important for you guys, you know, you just recover from all of this. I think it's very difficult and really scary what happened here. I hope everything is okay, everything is in order, and everything will come back, just live the normal life like you lived before.

MARAT SAFIN: I came here on Wednesday night, so since Thursday I'm practicing twice a day, doing my footwork, fitness, and getting ready for a tournament. Not much to do actually here. But it's really nice, nice and easy, enough time to concentrate for the tennis.

MARAT SAFIN: I don't think. They're just friends and that's it. Not many words I can say about this.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but it's okay.

MARAT SAFIN: You have to improve something. I have many things to improve. The year is just beginning. I have a lot of time. I'm just wondering, you know, like that I can play for all the year and keep the confidence that I'm having right now, just to play my best game is the most important thing, just keep in the same shape during all the year.

MARAT SAFIN: I'm growing up. I'm 22 now, so I have to be more serious.

MARAT SAFIN: No. You know, I'm trying to be serious and try to do my business as best as I can.

MARAT SAFIN: The difference actually is the same. When you're playing a tournament, you are trying to defend the points. When you have nothing to defend, you're thinking to get as many points as you can so you can go up in the ranking. So also you're under pressure all the time. It's like difficult sometimes.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, you know, I'm getting better. I didn't play very well in the last year. But I'm coming back, I'm playing very well right now, looking forward that I can play the same level like I play in 2000.