WIMBLEDON

June 25, 2001

Marat Safin

MODERATOR: Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. Could I introduce Marat Safin.

MARAT SAFIN: It's very difficult to play the first match of Wimbledon because it's a little bit difficult because you don't know actually the opponent very well. Of course, you are a little bit nervous because the first match, you want to win it, you want to get the confidence back. It's a little bit tough.

MARAT SAFIN: I could play better, I think. But I'm satisfied what I did. I won. I think it's enough. It was enough for today. I hope I'll play better next day - hopefully.

MARAT SAFIN: I try. No, it's very difficult (smiling).

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, I will try definitely. For you, I will try.

MARAT SAFIN: Yes. But I knew him from four years ago, we played some challengers together. I knew more or less how he's playing. He can play great tennis, I think. He's a good player.

MARAT SAFIN: Of course, it's a little bit tough. To go to the court, to look at the ranking, it's 150 in the world. You think, "Yeah, anyway I'm going to beat him." At least it's good one way because you have confidence. Another way it's not good, because if he play very good tennis, you don't wait for it. It can be surprise. But he surprise me a little bit because he was twice a break up - second and the third set. I had to concentrate a little bit more just to finish the match, otherwise I could be in big trouble in the fifth set.

MARAT SAFIN: Santoro (laughter). No, he's playing a different way. I'm happy. He's hitting the ball. At least he lets you play. You have some rhythm. It was okay for first match of Grand Slam, of Wimbledon. Is okay.

MARAT SAFIN: How you can be, I mean happy? What's mean happy? If you winning, you happy. If you're losing, you not happy. It's this way. The way you're playing, you know, you can't be happy on the first round if you make four sets. You cannot be definitely happy. But you trying. You trying. You have nothing to lose anyway. Nobody expects anything from you. They put me even fourth seed. I was surprised, I was shocked. "Good, thanks a lot." Give me another chance to play on grass. Yeah, keep trying. I think it's going to work.

MARAT SAFIN: Yes.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, yeah, I'm trying (laughter).

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but not yet.

MARAT SAFIN: Not. I need some time, to win some matches. It's difficult to play without confidence at all. I mean, you're not playing best. I'm not playing very best tennis. I'm far from there. You need to go slowly, try to get the confidence. It's very difficult.

MARAT SAFIN: I'm confident -- I was confident today, but I don't think I'm going to be confident against Nestor. I'm not sure yet if I'm confident or not. I need to win some matches.

MARAT SAFIN: How he can change that, the person? I mean, he just can explain to me the way I have to play, but he cannot teach me. He can show me. Actually, it's me. I have to understand it.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, of course.

MARAT SAFIN: Extra? I don't know. Nothing special. I mean, what do you have to teach on grass? It's very bad, fast hard court. Let's put it this way. Very, very bad hard court, and very fast. That's it.

MARAT SAFIN: The balls this year are a little bit heavy. Everybody has some problems with the shoulders, with the arm. Lot of guys, they are suffering a little bit because they're too heavy. It's not nice actually to play with these balls. They are like stones.

MARAT SAFIN: Good doubles specialist, no? Lefty, which is not very nice. But, yeah, it's one more match. Try to beat him. Doesn't matter. I mean, I want to play, I want to win. I think it's enough to try to beat him.

MARAT SAFIN: Don't do it (laughter).

MARAT SAFIN: No. I don't want to be a bad guy in this situation, no.

MARAT SAFIN: No, no, no, no. Otherwise I would bet on myself.