US OPEN

September 5, 2001

Marat Safin

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, it's a great feeling. I'm happy that now I can play tennis at least. I can run and I can just enjoy the game. Before it was a little bit disaster. I couldn't do nothing with the ball. I couldn't run. I couldn't -- I wasn't enjoying. You know, I was struggling and I was trying to find my game and try to win some matches and try to get some confidence. Now just I think it's good.

MARAT SAFIN: Started in Indianapolis. Tough matches, you know, I beat the guys like Sa, Robredo. Then I had a really good win against Enqvist. I think it's a good win. Then I lost to Patrick, who really playing well. 7-6 in the third with matchpoint. So it was actually good preparation. Then just here, also the same. I had quite good first round against French guy, and then started to play well. I start to feel well on the court, to move well. I lost some weight. And was good, is working. I really happy to be in semifinal playing decent tennis.

MARAT SAFIN: The way they play the other day was ridiculous. Pete was playing too good against Patrick Rafter, he couldn't do nothing, Patrick. Andre against Federer, it was a joke. He played too good. You know, I think I don't want to look ridiculous on the court against them (smiling). So I need some excuse in the beginning, you know. No, they are playing really good. But I'm also not playing bad, so for me it will be really big honor to play in the semifinal against Andre or against Pete and just try to play my best game. It will be perfect preparation for the final - if I get there - or otherwise it's a bit luck for me that I was also in semifinals. Also not bad, and I lost to a big guy. It's also very important to who you lose. So it's good in both ways.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. I mean, I would never think that I -- like in Montreal or Cincinnati, I would never think I can make semifinals of US Open, no way, because I was playing so bad. I was struggling. I was trying to play -- try to at least put the ball inside the court. But wasn't possible. I was so bad. And then just start to win some matches, close matches, playing badly. I had first win against Andre Sa. I played horrible, but I won this match. I fight. No, I won this match and I start to play better and better. So here I have a good draw. So I consider I lose in semifinal, it was a great tournament. And finally I found my game and it's -- of course it's gonna give me lot of confidence to go to indoors. I will try to make some -- try to win two or three tournaments on indoors with this confidence and try to get into Sydney. Will be great. I know it's very difficult because everybody's -- they have too many points already and I am just starting to get them. So but anyway, it will be big chance for me to get them. This is my goal actually for this year - to get there somehow.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. Of course it's very important for me. It was unbelievable today, right now to come back and play tennis, and play great tennis, after what I had in beginning of the year. Just I got injured. It's bad, you lost almost two months. I couldn't do nothing. I couldn't run. I couldn't play tennis anymore. I start in Rome. And in Rome after one match I was dead. I was like five kilos more. I was too fat and I couldn't move. Then Roland Garros came, I lost to Santoro and everything was like bad. I was playing bad. And then Wimbledon came. Quarterfinals, also not bad, but didn't felt so good on the court. But now I am on the way to play good tennis and just play the same thing like I played last year. I think this is my goal also, to get to this point and try to keep this mentality and this game. At least for three months it's not many months left. At least this.

MARAT SAFIN: It's really sad. It's really sad to start the year so late. I mean, it's not good. It's not -- it's bad. I mean, I understand this. But also you have to understand that I really had a very tough last year. I played so many tournaments. I played, I don't know, more than 30 tournaments. Tried to get points and tried to finish the year No. 1. Of course, then I had no preparation before the Australian Open. I had ten days. Finish in the middle of December. I had ten days to prepare myself for the new year. It's no chance. There's no way. It's impossible to play well. Of course I came to Australia, I was dead. I couldn't move anymore. It was too hot. Then of course I eventually get injured because you're not prepared, because your muscles are tired. And then it's over. The year is probably finished because you lose four Masters Series tournaments, you lose all the points. And, of course, you start in Rome. Rome, it's like three weeks before Roland Garros. You have no time to prepare yourself. You have really bad draw, don't have really good draw. You lose two first rounds, second round and that's it. It's over. The year is gone. I'm here trying to win -- try to win some matches. Can you believe it? It's August, it's almost September. The year is finished and I'm trying to win some matches. That's bad (laughter).

MARAT SAFIN: They can make also the vacations in July and June - just for me.

MARAT SAFIN: No, I have to forget the last year. Last year doesn't exist. I played too good and I cannot play this game never again. It's impossible. It's too good. And I have to find other way to beat him. Is the same game probably. I have to find the same game, try to hold well, try to hold his serve, try to be solid from the baseline. And just this kind of game. But definitely it will not be the match like last year. Last year was ridiculous. I mean, I couldn't believe myself that I can play like this. Every time, every point I win, I say, "Wow, too good." Trying to tank even, and it's not possible. One of those days you cannot even tank. You playing unbelievable shots. So it's gonna be different story. I will have to be more focused on the court and try to be tough. Definitely, it's gonna be different story, for sure.

MARAT SAFIN: I will have to run. Take all my drugs and try to run for three hours (laughter). Not many things I can do, you know, because Andre is playing too well, too good, and he's very solid. You have to be tough with him. You have to be really focused. Mentally you have to be really tough. Physically, you have to be -- every point you have to run. Every point you have to work hard and try to break him. Because he is also getting tired, eventually. So I will try -- I will try to stay there and try to do something to beat them.

MARAT SAFIN: Like this (smiling)?

MARAT SAFIN: I think we have a few actually guys. But of course it's difficult to talk about them because -- no, it's not difficult. But many people, they don't know them. But they don't think that they can be good, you know, good to win the Grand Slams. But they will. They will be tough and they -- in two years they gonna start to make some good results like finals and try to win a Grand Slam. Like the same guys, like Federer, Hewitt of course. Then when the people, they get used to them, is gonna be different. The same guys, Ferrero, Federer, Hewitt, Roddick is really tough, but he is playing too good. I don't think he can play like this all the time. It's too much power. You know, I also started like this when I was 18. Then I start to, you know, calm down because it's not possible to play during all the year the same shots with unbelievable speed, 200 miles per hour. Is no chance. So he will understand this and he will slow down. And he is gonna be tough also. So these people, they gonna be really tough in two, three years - even this year.

MARAT SAFIN: Interesting?

MARAT SAFIN: If somebody can guarantee me that I can make seven Grand Slams, it will be really interesting, seriously (laughter). Then in one doubles, in Wimbledon, like Mats Wilander, for me it's enough. Then the other people, they can do whatever they want. For me it's more important this, to get Mats (smiling).

MARAT SAFIN: I will. It's really good match. Classical. Many things to learn from them. I think it's gonna be great match. It's gonna be full stadium, for sure. Gonna be perfect for spectators. Beautiful match.

MARAT SAFIN: I don't care. Even the last Grand Slam I gonna win when I'm 40, I will play until 40. Doesn't matter. Whatever. Whatever. I need to win . I would love to win few more Grand Slams, and I think am really capable of this. I think my game is improving and I have a coach like Mats. You have to win. I mean, is no other excuse. You have to win and you have to make good results. And I'll be there. I'll be tough, really tough in the Grand Slams.

MARAT SAFIN: Of course, it's not always simple thing. Sometimes you realize and you think that you're not good enough. What I did last year, it was like maybe luck, maybe not. You're not sure, you know. So now is little bit different because you have to work, you have to think, you have to spend hours and hours on the court running with the coach. And now is more work, hard work. Last year it was talent, luck, and of course confidence. But this year it's little bit different. I spending more time working on myself. Eventually, you have to do this.