TMS MONTE CARLO

April 17, 2001

Marat Safin

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Marat, please.

MARAT SAFIN: No, just a little bit afraid not to serve 100 percent, that's it. But I don't think it was disappoint today, because I didn't think I play well enough on the baseline for some reasons. And I just trying to be better for next week.

MARAT SAFIN: No, I just -- of course it wasn't -- the serve wasn't there 100 percent. It's a little bit of course after the injury you cannot play right away 100 percent. So you have to go little bit here, step by step. But today, at least on the clay court you can play little bit with top spin, with a kick serve. I couldn't do anything today. Just, I just try to play to build a game, but it was a little bit a disaster. I couldn't do anything against him. To lose 6-3, 6-1 against Di Pasquale, is not the way to play tennis.

MARAT SAFIN: I think if -- there's a few things that probably I have to say to the people. Because the people, they know why I'm not playing 100 percent, what is the reasons. They know. So I think I just have to prepare myself for the next tournament, because it's already -- it's gone, cannot come back. You cannot play again one week in Monte-Carlo Open. You cannot change it. So next tournament is in Barcelona, then Rome. I try to prepare myself for Rome and Hamburg and Roland Garros. It's like you have to prepare yourself for the big tournaments, so I will be okay, I think, for Roland Garros. There's a tournament where I want to win, and I hope I will be there in perfect conditions. If I win there, it's a completely different story, because now I'm not playing well, but it's just a matter of a few matches and I get the confidence back and start again.

MARAT SAFIN: Right now, probably. Because if you serve well, you use both hands. If you don't serve well, you have to build every point, you have to play every point, you have to fight every point. Of course it's difficult. So...

MARAT SAFIN: Of course. As you can see, 6-3, 6-1, so of course I don't get free points.

MARAT SAFIN: No, the problem is it's already -- it's okay. Actually, I'm okay. But still you are afraid. I'm afraid. Is not because I'm still injured. I'm not injured anymore. But still, I'm afraid. You know, it's one bad movement, and you can go again. So with a time, one, two weeks, I need to play like this. And of course I serve much better than in Key Biscayne or Indian Wells. So it's already getting better. So next week, I serve a little bit harder, and I want to win results in the big tournaments. I want to prepare for the big tournaments, which, for me, the big tournaments is Roland Garros. Rome, Hamburg, they are big also. But I need to prepare myself for Roland Garros. That's it. I don't care what I have to do, whatever I have to do, I want to play very good there. That's it.

MARAT SAFIN: Last time I talked to him was two weeks ago.

MARAT SAFIN: No -- yeah, he's my coach, but is coming to Barcelona, so we starting to work there. Also he has to play some tournaments, also. His agreement was a little bit different than normal.

MARAT SAFIN: Nobody. (Inaudible name.) (Laughing.)

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, in Dubai. I got more injured at Indian Wells and Key Biscayne. Now I am okay.

MARAT SAFIN: I'm not 500 in the world, I'm still No. 1, so it's little bit different. So I don't have to play -- I make good results. I won a few tournaments on clay, so I know.

MARAT SAFIN: You can't do. He doesn't have the same problem like me, so what he knows about me, what I have in my back? I need to know what I have to do and just take the time. The situation is not so bad. Health is most important thing in life.

MARAT SAFIN: Again, again, again.

MARAT SAFIN: Not forcing myself. I have to start somewhere, no? Right? Why just I have to say, "Oh, tomorrow I be okay. I think I'm completely 100 percent fixed, I'm perfect. I go to play." It's not like this. It's not for one day to another one. I think step by step, when you are to improve the thing, you have to play the tournament. Of course you will not win it the first tournament you want to play, but you play tournaments before so you get used to -- for the power, for the, you know, to build the muscle. You need to build the muscle. So you have to work out. And that's what I'm trying to do. That's why I came here, to play matches, try to win, which is very difficult, but I'm here. I'm trying to play. So next week I will be better. In Hamburg, I'll be perfect.

MARAT SAFIN: 100 percent.