WIMBLEDON

July 4, 2001

Marat Safin

MODERATOR: Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. Marat Safin. First question, please.

MARAT SAFIN: Quite a lot because I expected to have more chances on his serve. He was too good today. I couldn't do anything special to beat him.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, it's successful, but you always expect something more, I think. Because let's say we had quite a good draw. Sampras is out. So it's Federer or Henman. It's not Sampras. If Sampras in semifinals, it's very difficult to beat him, you know. Goran, he was playing unbelievable. I just -- you can see you have your possibilities to be even in the final, and then suddenly it just goes away in the quarterfinals. For me is not a great result for me. Quarterfinal, yeah, it's okay. But it's not a big thing for me.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, because, you know, I didn't expect that he going to play from the baseline because normally not many people, they can play from the baseline on grass. I just try to keep the ball inside. I think it's too secure, no? Is not going this way on grass court. You know, it's very difficult because during all the week I played on small courts. I already start to play serve and volley. I was doing quite okay. And suddenly, they put you on centre court finally - thanks a lot to the tournament - and it's very difficult to play because it's too wide. If you make serve and volley, sometimes you don't know where to run because it's so big. It's very difficult to find your game. The first two sets, I was a little bit out of the game. Third set I start to return the serve already. I make a break. I had a chance to break him in the set. Let's say I played last two sets, because I started to return. I stand two meters behind the court, you know, for serves. I think that's also the reason that you're not used to play on so wide courts.

MARAT SAFIN: I didn't lost them. I just had no chance.

MARAT SAFIN: You can see statistic. How many aces he make in the tiebreak? How many first serve he put inside in tiebreak? How you can play against the guy? Is too much pressure. If you don't make your serve, make your two points, then is coming two aces. If not two aces, the second serve can be, I don't know, whatever. It's difficult to play against this kind of guys, you know. You expect too much from them, and it's the way it is. Three aces in the tiebreak, one return, perfect volley, that's it, 7-2. Very fast.

MARAT SAFIN: I was scared (smiling). No, just because I knew what I had to do on the court, you know. You have to be patient, these kind of players. You cannot just go and do things on the court because this kind of players, you have to be concentrate all the time because you have not many chances to break him. Every single point is a chance. You know, second serve is a big chance, huge chance. 15-30, second serve, if you don't make it... So it's like try to stay there on the match, try to play. He was too good. I can't say anything. I think I played okay, I played good, you know. No chance.

MARAT SAFIN: If he plays like he played today, I think he will not have any problems. Guys, come on, he beat Rusedski, he beat me. Also, I know how to play tennis, you know. The guy, he just doesn't give any chances, and that's the case. The guy, if he has a second serve, he make you an ace. All the time you're under pressure. When it's tiebreak arrives, if you make three points, you are lucky. Come on, very good.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, yeah, because he doesn't give you -- it's difficult to return even second serve. It's very difficult. If I think Goran plays this way, the way he played today, if he doesn't win the title, I'll be really pissed with him. He can't lose this opportunity because I don't think he played this way like when he was in the final three times. Now he's playing the best tennis he could play. If he doesn't win, we'll change my mind about him (smiling).

MARAT SAFIN: Not many times. Maybe two, three times in all my career. Doesn't mean anything, actually.

MARAT SAFIN: I'm getting closer. Yeah, I think I'm playing okay. Now I think I'm ready for the States. I'm playing quite good, serving well, I have no problems in my back. Yeah, I'm improving. I'm satisfied with the way I'm playing. I'm happy that Mats still wants to coach me. Yes, I'll be okay for States. I'm ready.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, it's okay. Yeah, it's perfect. I don't drop too much after US Open.

MARAT SAFIN: If I'm surprised the way he plays? Of course, everybody's surprised. I mean, the guy, he was struggling for last two years, to be honest, no? He drop from Top 20 to 125, Goran's ranking is. He lost to Caratti in Queen's. I mean, Caratti is not a bad player, but Goran, I think he should win this match, no? The way he's playing now, it's like he's back in Top 10, really close to 1, 2 in the world. Of course I surprised. 1, 2 in the world, you have no chance probably, no? He's playing this way. Because with other people, you have chance always.

MARAT SAFIN: I was as frustrated in the French Open against Santoro.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, I have no chance. What can I do? You cannot do anything against this. I mean, I'd be more frustrated if I would have huge chance and I don't take it. What I had, I took. Break, I took it, that's it.

MARAT SAFIN: Check the score, he's losing now, Agassi. There is also another player. Escude I think is a great player. Doesn't mean if his name is Agassi, he going to be in the final. So let's put it the way it is actually.