Safin: Still Crotchety After All These Years

Marat's post-Olivier Rochus press conference had me rolling. Here are excerpts:
Q. Through highs and lows here, people, fans have always stayed with you. Why do you think people connect with your game?
MARAT SAFIN: Ask people (smiling). I don't know.

Q. What's the most frustrating part of being Marat Safin?
MARAT SAFIN: Huh?

Q. What's the most frustrating part of being Marat Safin?
MARAT SAFIN: Frustrating part, well, it's just every time I've been playing well and every time I was in the top 10, I had one year, one great year, then I was getting injured and I had to start all over again. I really am tired a little bit of making comebacks.

...

Q. What are your thoughts on instant replay? Have you enjoyed it? Do you think it's successful?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, it's a little bit stressful right now because I'm playing every single day. I played yesterday five set match, I played today, and then I have to play tomorrow against Haas. So it's not really fun. You cannot really enjoy the city and, you know, just be...

Q. The instant replay, have you found it successful, the HawkEye?
MARAT SAFIN: Oh, HawkEye, sorry.

Q. No, that's okay.
MARAT SAFIN: But is not I don't think it's hundred percent right.

Q. You don't think it's 100% right?
MARAT SAFIN: No. No, no, no. I'm sure about that. I already said that.

Q. Why?
MARAT SAFIN: Why? You think I'm lying?

ETA: Here's a funny article about Safin from the LA Times. Cheer Up Marat!

Comments

[Rosemary]

I love Marat. I don't want to see him beat Roger (and I don't think he will at this tourney) but I would love to see him get to the semis. He's such a great personality. I saw him practicing the week before the Open and it did occur to me that he didn't look bad once he got into it.

I pick him to beat Haas today. Should be a good one.

[sensationalsafin]

haas will be tough but hopefully marat will get through. he seems kinda groutchy but cant blame him. its been like that for the past 6 years, in 2000 hes 2, in 2001 hes 11, in 2002 hes 3, in 2003 hes 86 or something, in 2004 hes 4, in 2005 hes 12, in 2006 hes 104. strange, according to pattern he should finish this year in the top 10. is it still possible? if he does good or wins here. then gets those 2 masters hes always gotten at the end of the year. thats like 2000 points, should be enough.

[kimmie]

it will take a lot of good play from safin...let's just hope he gets far at the open first. i want a roger-marat semifinal so bad!

[Stellcat]

I want to Safin to reach the semis too and take on Roger. But if Safin is able to get that far I could see it going a lot like the Australian Open final in 2004 when Safin was out of gas after five-setters with Roddick and Agassi and Rog smoked him.

Safin has that mental edge though of having beat Rog in a major the last 2 or 3 years. No one else can say that but Nadal.

If it is a Safin-Federer semifinal Saturday and Safin has gas left in the tank...look out

[smash]

I wouldlove a Safin Federer semi!! It would be phenominal

[kimmie]

if safin is on nothing is certain...roger couldn't even claim to be off form or injured in that ao '05 semi, safin beat him fair and square...it depends if he can make it that far i guess