Marat Safin says goodbye to Tennis in Paris

After an amazing match with Del Potro, Marat Safin retires from tennis in his favorite tournament, Paris, Bercy.

The former champion has won this tournament 3 times before and he chose to end his career at that very same court he adored.

A great ceremony was prepared to honor our beloved Safin. Attending were great player of old times and also of the new generation who wanted to say goodbye in person.

Great words of admiration and respect were said about Marat from the big players like Federer, Nadal, Murray, Djokovic, Verdasco and many more.

see the video here: http://www.fft.fr/bnpparibasmasters/2009_en/?id=5528

goodbye Marat :)

Marat Safin vs. Pete Sampras "Millennium Challenge"

Pete Sampras, the 14-time Grand Slam Champion who held the No. 1 ranking for a record 286 weeks, will return to the LA Tennis Center at UCLA this summer for the "Millennium Challenge".

Sampras, a two-time LA Tennis Open will take the court on opening night, July 27, for the "Millennium Challenge," a rematch of the 2000 US Open final against Russian Marat Safin. Safin claimed the first of his two career Grand Slam titles with that win over Sampras in New York, and holds a 4-3 edge over the American in professional matches. Safin won their last meeting, which came in the fourth round of the 2002 Australian Open.

In addition to this Monday night match against Sampras, Safin will play in the main draw of the LA Tennis Open. It will be the sixth appearance for the Russian in the tournament, having gone 6-5 with two quarterfinals in his previous efforts in LA. A former World No. 1, the 2000 US Open and 2005 Australian Open are among Safin's 15 career titles.

here's a link for an interview with Marat on July 22nd regarding this match

Safin exits Roland Garros for final time interview

"I cannot say I played my best tennis. Definitely not. Far away from that," said Safin, a two-time major champion who has only once come back to win from two sets down. "It was disappointing, a little bit, you know, trying and trying and trying and trying."

Safin erased three match points, including when Ouanna sent a backhand into the net in the last game. Moments later, Safin sent a forehand wide to end it.

"He played good," said Safin, who reached the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2002 but lost in the second round the past two years. "Even though ... he almost lost this match. Christmas is today and not the 25th of December."

Safin has a history of making history -- smashing rackets, setting balls sailing into the crowd, and even dropping his shorts during a match at the French Open, and complaining about the cost of spaghetti at Wimbledon.

On Wednesday, he riled the local fans after sending an easy forehand into the net while serving at 5-6. Disgusted with himself, Safin was preparing for his next serve when he lost control of the ball while bouncing it. He then nervously -- even angrily -- started kicking away dirt from just inside the baseline.

The crowd booed heartily, but forgave and forgot once the match was over, sending Safin off to the locker room with a loud round of applause.

"I'm not a bad boy, but hopefully I can change the thing that not a lot of tennis players have managed, to have a great life afterwards with tennis," Safin said of his future. "With all due respect, I want to try to be the guy who ends up doing something else and be good at it."

Marat Safin's last Australian open interview

After losing to Federer on the 23rd of January, Marat Safin leaves his last Australian open in the 3rd round.

Federer won 6-3, 6-2, 7-6

Here's Marat Safin's interview after the match.

Q. What happened with the foot faults in the tiebreak?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, just unfortunately some people, they want to take five seconds of the camera and to show everybody that he's in the match. It's sad story. Just unfortunately it's the most stupid thing I ever saw in my life.

It's just disappointment, because it's already 3‑1. There was a chance. It's a tiebreak. Every point counts. When it goes like that on the second serve in the tiebreak, why? I don't understand.

Q. It's happened to you before?

MARAT SAFIN: It happened to me in US Open. Just like I said, it's just the most stupid thing. Like there shouldn't be this rule. I'm not stepping on the line. It's sideways. It doesn't help at all to serve better.

Q. How much of an affect do you think that had on you? You won the next four points after that. Did you think it ended up costing you?

MARAT SAFIN: I think I played better in the third set. Unfortunately, it's probably a little bit too late to play against Federer to get into the match. I started to feel much for comfortable on the court in the third set.

I had a couple opportunities there, small ones, but still. Tiebreak was very close. For me, it was a chance to win a set, and then you never know what happens. I felt like he was struggling a little bit. Slightly. Of course, he's a great player. Just I could feel that he was tense. There was a small chance for me, just it slipped away.

Q. Do we have a chance to see you back here next year?

MARAT SAFIN: I doubt it. I really doubt it. I really doubt it.

Q. How does it make you feel to be saying good‑bye to Grand Slam events?

MARAT SAFIN: I don't like this bye‑bye part. It's just a sad story. It's not for me. I prefer to leave this way, quietly, nice, with a great match.

Unfortunately, I couldn't do better than that, three sets. But anyway, I lost today probably to the better player, one of the greatest ones in the history of tennis. I really hope for him to be so I can tell the story to my kids that I played with him. I think it's a nice story.

Q. What memories will you take away from this tournament?

MARAT SAFIN: I had some ups and downs here. One disappointment. Another great year. One final against Roger. And then one title I took here beating also Roger and Hewitt. So I've been playing some great tennis. So just the whole thing, the whole setup. The beautiful city, great people.

The crowd is always friendly. Go around in the city and they just love tennis. They live with tennis. They really enjoy it and appreciate what you are doing. That's what makes it special. It's really very sports‑people living here. It's always nice to come here every year, year after year. Unfortunately, I doubt it's going to ever happen again.

Q. That semifinal you played against Federer in 2005, people still talk about that as one of the great matches. How does that stick in your mind in terms of your career?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, just it was one of the greatest matches I ever played in my life probably. It's just for the fact that to play against Federer, against Roger, because he's the kind of player for my tennis, he's not really comfortable. He is not really comfortable tennis game for me.

I always struggled to play against him because he just doesn't give me any rhythm. He knows what to do in exact moment of the match. He knows what I'm going to do.

For me, to win that match in a semifinal was a huge thing. I never played any better. I wasn't any luckier in any other moments in the tennis court, so I could say that I was lucky; I played great tennis. He missed couple of shots that could change the match. He was very close to win it. He had a match point.

Q. You seem to keep your emotions in check a little bit tonight. Was that a conscious effort to hold yourself back a bit?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, if you get there, you try to play against Federer, you want to ‑‑ you see the opportunities, you see what you should do. Every time I try to do something else, the ball is not landing where you want it to land.

It's a little bit, of course, a disappointment because he doesn't give you a lot of opportunities throughout one hour and a half of the match.

You need to count every single point and any single chance to break him, otherwise there is just no chance. Of course it's disappointment that I'm not there, but you just need to keep it cool, just to wait for another one. Maybe there will be another chance. I had it. I had them. But not enough.

Q. You embraced Roger at the end. Was that partly because of what's happened at the tournament, or because you knew you were saying good‑bye as well?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, it's just we know each other for how many years? Since '94. We didn't play in the juniors, but we saw each other. We had some great matches. I was close a couple times. We grew up together. He started a little bit later than me.

I respect him as a tennis player, as a person. He's just very close ‑‑ let's put it this way: Very close colleague of mine.

Q. You also say he's the best you ever faced?

MARAT SAFIN: Probably, yeah. He's the most complete tennis player in the history of tennis, that's for sure. With all due respects to Agassi and Sampras and the rest of the gang.

But I never felt so uncomfortable against any of the players before.

Q. Fabrice?

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but I managed to beat him the last four times, so that's okay. Fabrice is a special guy also.

Q. I know it's hard for you, but who is your tip to go on and win the tournament?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, it's too early to say. Roger, he's definitely playing well. He played really well today. In the important moments he was at his best. He served well.

Also surprised me a lot Murray, the way he's moving and the playing around the court and the way he observes the other player on the beginning of the match. He's very clever and great hands. He's one more person to counsel. Djokovic is there. He's dangerous.

I'm pretty sure that ‑‑ anybody else coming to my head right now. Definitely going to come up somebody. Gilles Simon, for example.

There will be somebody. Third round. A little bit too early to speculate about it. We'll see. Roddick is there.

Q. What about Nadal?

MARAT SAFIN: Oh, yeah. Exactly. See. That's what I'm missing. He's the one who managed to beat Federer in almost all the surfaces. I mean, grass, he took him on grass, which is barely impossible and he managed.

So I think he has all the chances here if he gets to the final.

Q. Do you feel like Federer's playing the same as before or a bit different?

MARAT SAFIN: What kind of different? He cannot play any different tennis. He has all the skills, and he uses them. One day maybe he miss a couple of balls and the match goes to somebody else, but normally he manage to win all of them.

It's up to him every time, except on clay. But he knows exactly what he's doing. Just depends if he's a hundred percent feeling great that day. Basically two points make a big difference.

Q. Did you guys say anything to each other over the net?

MARAT SAFIN: What you are going say? Well done. Great play. Typical stuff. What else do you want me to say to him?

Q. Did he say anything to you?

MARAT SAFIN: Bad luck.

Q. What would it take to change your mind about walking away from tennis?

MARAT SAFIN: Nothing. I've been already too many years. I want to change and do something else. I'm ready for that. It's been a nice trip. It's enough.

Q. Do you know what that something else is?

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, but I'll keep it to myself for the moment. I would love to do that. I'm ready.

Marat Safin retires YES or NO complete interview

After losing in the 1st round in the last tournament of the year, Marat mentioned that he was thinking about what was in his future regarding tennis and this was picked up by the media and has spread a lot of speculation around the world.
In order to try and get a better idea of what Marat is thinking, we spoke to him before he left for his vacation.

Q: How do you feel right now?
A: I'm very tired. I guess after so many years on the tour, when you finish the season, you feel very tired and can't wait to get away and also I need it in order to take the right decision.

Q: Where do you plan to go?
A: I'm going this week to Miami and in a couple of weeks when I am back in Moscow, I will be wiser and more concrete about my plans.

Q: Can you please clear a little bit the confusion that is around about what you were talking about in the press conference after losing your 1st round match?
A: I actually said nothing in particular, I was just talking generally and I don't really know where all these rumours came from. All I said was that I am tired and I need some time off in order to make some good decisions.

Q: You can understand how your many fans are feeling these days. Can you clarify more about the various options and your wishes?
A: I have been playing professional tennis for over a decade. Its hard for me to find new goals for my career however the love for the game and the passion inside me are still very strong and that is why it makes it more difficult. There are still places where I would like to play, to be able to meet my fans and say goodbye properly to the many people who have followed me through out these last years.
I'm considering to play for one more year. I am also considering maybe to stop completely and then another option is to particularly play mostly in the places and tournaments which I really like and that had a tremendous impact on my career. That's why I need some time off to think it through properly, to talk to my my long time partners and sponsors and then I'll be able to hopefully make a better decision.

Q: We wish you a great vacation and there is no need to mention how much all of us would like to see you on the court playing your great tennis.
A: Thank you so much. This is all part of my consideration.
I ask you all not to listen to the rumors flying around and I promise to all my fans that they will hear from me directly once I make up my mind.
I wish you all happy vacations.