TMS - INDIAN WELLS

March 13, 2001

Marat Safin

MODERATOR: Questions for Marat.

MARAT SAFIN: No, it's getting much better. At least I could serve a little bit better than Dubai. But, of course, it wasn't enough. Also I think I didn't practice for one week. I tried, you know, to stay relax and try to take care of my back, so that was the reason. I make some easy mistakes because not playing for one week. Of course, I was all the time under pressure. It's difficult to play against these kind of guys like Johansson who has a big serve, and he makes very easy point. You have to be very careful with the serve. But at least I make a good match, 7-5, 7-5. I'm a little bit disappointed that the injury is this week, which is Masters Series, is very important for me. But still I'm happy that even playing this way I make not bad result.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, of course. You can play. I can play from the baseline. I can play from the volley. The problem is that I'm scared a little bit to get injured again. Still I have a little bit pain inside, but it's more you get scared. Some bad movements on the serve, again one week and a half, two weeks, maybe more. I have to be careful. I think is even better to lose here in the first round, to prepare myself to Miami and be a hundred percent. Otherwise it could be worser, you know. If I would win, play the next day, play more and more. Then it's getting tighter or getting worse. But I'm happy for one part, but another part a little bit disappointed.

MARAT SAFIN: Of course. I have almost how many days? I'm seeded, I think, still seeded (smiling). I start on Saturday. Today is Tuesday. I have enough time.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah.

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, because you have to be careful. All the time you're afraid to make a movements on the serve. You cannot serve hard. You don't make normal movements when you serve. So when the serve go, it's like 90 miles per hour. It is not enough, of course, to play.

MARAT SAFIN: If it can get worse?

MARAT SAFIN: The doctor said I have to be careful what I'm doing. I can play, but the problem is if it happens again and I break the muscle, then I have to go to the hospital for three months. I don't want to do it, so I prefer to lose -- not to lose. I mean, I try today. It's better to lose first round in Indian Wells without any points than to lose two months, three months, lose all the other events like Monte-Carlo, Hamburg, Rome, Roland Garros. I think is better to lose here.

MARAT SAFIN: You have to try. Why not? I tried. I mean, I didn't lose 6-Love, 6-Love. I tried. I had even opportunities. I was break up in the first set, 4-All in the second set, 15-40. I mean, the guy, he played very well at these moments. Even like this, I had chances.

MARAT SAFIN: Actually, I'm very happy that Mats, he came here. He played the tournament in Naples, in Florida. He came here especially, you know, to start with me. I'm trying to be nice to him (laughter). You know, we would like to try. If it works, it works. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. But we need time to get know each other, these kind of things. For the moment, is going not bad. Even I lose, but he was happy with me.

MARAT SAFIN: What? I pay the bills, I pay everything.

MARAT SAFIN: I think it can help me a lot, the brain of Mats. But I think we have a different characters, you know. I need what he has, and actually he needs what I have. But he's a coach, so I'm trying to -- he will teach me, for sure, be a little bit more calm on the court, be nice with the people, I don't know, stay calm, think a little bit what are you doing on the court, which moment of the match you have to go to the net, stay back, do whatever.

MARAT SAFIN: Actually, he has a friend and we meet in St. Polten, Austria, December. He was sitting on a bar, drinking a beer. Listen, I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, because Mats -- I tell you.

MARAT SAFIN: Okay, okay. Sitting in a bar talking. He says, "Mats, he's interested in just teaching you, coach you." "Yes, yes, is okay." But the next day I start to think, it's not bad idea. I have no coach. I have nobody. I try alone. I need to spend the money on somebody. So I think it was a good idea. Also Sasha said, "You have to go with Mats, don't be stupid. Make him come to the tournaments. Pay whatever it is." You cannot find these kind of guys every day. I think it's a big opportunity for me to learn something big. Of course, thanks a lot to Sasha, to Andrei, to help me a lot. But now Sasha, he told me that I have to make this choice and take Wilander. I think he was right. I'm happy.

MARAT SAFIN: Some of them is like frustration. But some of them I think, I don't know, but I feel sometimes today the chair umpire, he makes three mistakes. For me, it's important. For the first time in two weeks I make an ace, less than a hundred miles per hour. The guy doesn't see this ball? The question, "What are you doing sitting there?" I was pissed with him. He know why. I think it's normal. Everybody is trying to do all our best there. It's our business. It's our job. Be a man. When I'm talking to him, I didn't felt that he was there on the court.

MARAT SAFIN: The last game?

MARAT SAFIN: I serve?

MARAT SAFIN: Doesn't matter. Now doesn't matter.

MARAT SAFIN: That it is not my day. I mean, it's not every day happens to me these things. The guy, I have the opportunity 4-All, 15-40, to break him. Yeah, I make only one mistake. Then he played unbelievable shots. What you can do? You can't do anything. I try it. He was much better than me in this game. The next game I had the opportunity. This ball, he get there, I don't know how. He make two big shots. It's not my day. Nothing to do.

MARAT SAFIN: In which way I have to change? Better or worser?

MARAT SAFIN: I have to change, of course. I have to bring something new. I have to learn something new because everybody know how to play against me. You have to bring something each day. You have to bring something new, make different game, volley, serve and volley, return volley. Just bring something, otherwise it's starting -- now it's easy to play against me. Everybody knows what I'm going to do.

MARAT SAFIN: I'm trying to do my job. I mean, my job is to play tennis, make people happy, talk to you guys. I'm having fun right now. This is kind of a job, and I like it. That's my life, and I like it. Why I have to feel pressure? If something going wrong is because has to go wrong. I'm trying to do my best. I'm injured right now. When I'm going to be okay, I will try to win other tournaments. If it doesn't work, what can I do? I give my best every day.

MARAT SAFIN: I think it has to be okay. I spoke with my doctors. They said like it's going to take two weeks, maximum two, three weeks to be sure. I'm taking pills. I'm having treatment with the physios which is taking care of me. Unbelievable. Thanks a lot. I'm getting (inaudible) and everything into my body to be okay for Miami. I think I'm going to be okay. I hope so.

MARAT SAFIN: No, it's okay. It's okay.

MARAT SAFIN: It's a difficult question because, I mean, when you ask the people, you coming somewhere to a tournament, yeah, we are new names, Kuerten is good player, Safin is okay, Hewitt is also okay. Ferrero is not bad, Federer. Two names, big names, Andre and Pete. That's it. For them is the best. They are Gods. We are just nothing special. "Yes, he's okay. Future. Is okay, is the future." It's different story. Is not like before that every tournament the same people play in the quarterfinals. Now everything is equal, like guy from No. 1 up to 30 can beat. It's equal, many names. The people, they don't know us very well. They know, but we need time. Guys are promoting us and trying to do all the best, New Balls campaign. They're doing well. I think we'll need two, three years to be at least a little closer to these guys, Andre and Pete. It's impossible, but we're trying. Also these guys, I think they're trying also to promote us.

MARAT SAFIN: If he don't like me, we stop. If he likes me, we talk about business.

MARAT SAFIN: I would like. I would like. I would like. I would like to convince him to work with me. I think it's going to work. I hope so.

MARAT SAFIN: I definitely want to win another Grand Slam, I think I can make it, and stay in Top 5. I mean, is going to be difficult because Andre is playing very good. He won the Australian Open. Guga, Pete, Yevgeny, many guys. I'm one of them. For the moment, it doesn't go very well, but I'm fighting, I'm trying.

MARAT SAFIN: Roland Garros.

MARAT SAFIN: That's my target.

MARAT SAFIN: Hardest? The hardest, to be nice to you. I mean, the most important thing is that you guys write quite well about us. Sometimes we have a bad day. Sometimes frustration. Like Philippoussis, he came to locker room. He was upset. He said many good words. You know, you have to understand sometimes people, Philippoussis, many guys like me, we feel frustration. I mean, if one day we are not nice to you, it's because we want to win and make people happy on the court. But sometimes it doesn't go this way. Sometimes we're not nice to you. Sorry, but you have to understand.

MARAT SAFIN: Ask him. He will tell you (laughter).