New Mills Tennis Club

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Safin's Second Slam Satisfaction
by Luke Buttigieg
Sunday, 30 January, 2005

When Marat Safin won the 2000 US Open, he felt like it was a victory he didn't fully deserve because it came too easily, but with his second Grand Slam triumph at the Australian Open - after the disappointment of two Melbourne Park final losses - he now feels like he belongs.

Safin freely admitted after his win over local hope Lleyton Hewitt in the men's singles decider that his first major title did not convince him he was good enough to beat the best, and that the 2002 and 2004 Australian Open defeats only added to his self doubt.

But while his overwhelming feeling after claiming the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup for the first time was one of relief, Safin was just as quick to point out that his coach Peter Lundgren had helped convince him he can match it with the best in the tennis world.

"I have to forget about the final in 2000 because everything came so easy and it came in the most unexpected way," he said. "Then I lost two finals here, the first one I should have won but at least in the second one I should have had a bit more chance than that."

"You start to have doubts with yourself, whether you could do this or not, because it's the third time in the final here, you're playing against Hewitt, you beat Roger Federer. Basically you have a huge chance to beat him."

"Then I just get so nervous, get so uptight because it's the last match. You have to give your best and I don't want to lose it because then it's like nobody cares about the finalist basically. So for me that win was just a kind of a relief," Safin explained.

Lundgren was in Federer's corner when he won the Wimbledon title in 2003, but was dumped by the world No.1 at the end of that year, and several months later joined forces with Safin.

"Just really to believe in yourself," Safin said when asked what Lundgren has brought to his game. "I never believe in myself before at all, until I start to work with him. We worked really hard, we communicate really well."

"He understands who I am and I understand what he wants from me. He makes me believe that I can be a good player and I don't have so much doubts about myself, about my tennis."

Having dropped the first set in just 23 minutes, Safin added that he had noticed a shift in momentum as early as the second set.

"It was getting better after the first set actually. Even though I was 4-1 down it was a little bit easier because I was waiting for opportunities," he said. "After the first set I couldn't believe that I could play so badly, I was no nervous that I couldn't do anything."

"All of a sudden it all turned around, in a way that I couldn't expect actually. All of a sudden he made a couple of mistakes, I was a little bit lucky, and then I gained the confidence again and I was back in the game."

"Once I got back the break I could go for it a little more and I could risk it a little bit more than before."

With that second Grand Slam title safely in his keeping, Safin didn't make any bold predictions for the future, but he would obviously enjoy to increase his collection even further.

"Two Grand Slams, it's already something," he said. "One Grand Slam, you can win by mistake, like I did in 2000. It was a mistake actually. But this one, I worked really hard for that."

"It was a relief, so basically I would love to, yeah I would love to win a couple more. I think I have a chance if I am continuing this way. If Peter, he will stick around with me and he will want to work with me for a bit longer, I think I can make it."

With his share of media commitments to fulfil until well past midnight, Safin did not have any major celebrations planned before returning home to Moscow on Monday, but will do so a much more satisfied and content player than when he arrived a month ago.

Australian Open - January 2004 MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Roger Federer put a quick end to Marat Safin's exhausting run in the Australian Open. The Swiss star won his second Grand Slam title and solidified his No. 1 ranking Sunday, beating Safin 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-2. "What a great start to the year for me, to win the Australian Open and become No. 1 in the world," Federer said. "To fulfill my dreams, it really means very much to me." Federer, who claimed his first major at Wimbledon last year, won the match in 2 hours, 15 minutes when Safin -- who tied a Grand Slam record by playing 30 sets -- hit a forehand long on championship point. "I'm really sorry, I just ran out of gas today," said Safin, in the first stage of a comeback from wrist and other injuries that limited him to 13 tournaments last year.

Federer is 3-1 in his career meetings with Safin.

"(Safin) had to battle. He's been longer on the court than me, way longer," Federer said. "It's really nice to see him back. He's a great guy and a great player."

The 22-year-old Federer, who clinched the top spot in the rankings with a semifinal victory over Juan Carlos Ferrero, hasn't lost a set in his two Grand Slam final appearances. He beat Mark Philippoussis in straight sets at Wimbledon last year.

Safin beat top-seeded Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals and ended Andre Agassi's 26-match Australian Open winning streak in the semifinals.

"I would like to say congratulations Roger, first of all for becoming No. 1 player and beating me today," the Russian said. "It was really impressive tennis during these two weeks and well done.

"I'm actually very glad to be in finals again. I'm really glad to play my best tennis after the injuries I had last year."

Federer, 4-1 against Safin, had 40 winners and 28 unforced errors, and Safin had 19 winners and 41 unforced errors.

Safin twice slammed his racket into the court to vent his growing frustration.

"I was out of energy, my legs were just too tired," Safin said. "I was a little too tired to keep up with him. I felt that I was missing just a little bit. Against Roger, you have to do better than that. I'm not playing a yo-yo. He knows how to play tennis."

The Russian had 123 aces in six previous matches, including 31 against Agassi without a double-fault. But he had just three aces against Federer and five double-faults.

Federer said he was on form from the first round, despite arriving in Melbourne without a coach.

"I thought I played great basically from the first round on because normally you always have some difficulties in the beginning. But I never had a feeling that I had one match these whole two weeks where I thought, 'I'm not hitting the ball fine,"' he said.

Federer said only time would tell if he could put some distance between himself and the other contenders for the top ranking.

"I just made it to No. 1 in the world. Okay, out of the last three, I won two of the Slams, plus the Masters. Maybe it looks this way, but only the future will tell," he said.

With the roof open at Rod Laver Arena, the match was played under mostly overcast, wind-free conditions.

Part of Safin's plan was to attack Federer's second serve, and that helped him break in the third game of the opening set.

The pair traded breaks twice and got back on serve to take the first set into a tiebreaker, which Federer dominated.

Loud music could be heard throughout the match from a rock concert at a nearby park. Early in the second set, chair umpire Mike Morrissey of Britain told both players that it would likely continue for the duration of the match.

At 2-2 and on serve in the second set, Safin was broken when he hit two backhands into the net. For the first time in the match he showed some emotion, yelling into a towel and then swinging wildly as if he was going to smash his racket to the court.

Two games later, an increasingly frustrated Safin succeeded in smashing his racket when he double-faulted to set up break point. Morrissey gave Safin a code violation for racket abuse, and Federer's long forehand put the game back to deuce.

Safin held with his second ace of the match.

Federer held to go up 5-3. With Safin serving to stay in the set, the Russian again double-faulted, yelling loudly to himself as he fell behind 15-30. Safin eventually fought off two set points and, later in the same game, lined up on the ad side of the court instead of the deuce to serve. Both players smiled at the mistake.

Safin saved another set point in the ninth game before holding on a service winner. Federer then held on his own serve to take the 40-minute second set.

Safin matched American Harold Solomon's record of 30 sets for a Grand Slam tournament set in the 1976 French Open. Solomon lost the final at Roland Garros in four sets to Adriano Panatta.

Safin was injured most of last year and did not win a match after May. His ranking slipped to 66, the first time since 1997 that he finished outside the top 50. His ranking will rise to the top 35 next week

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Gaudio claims French crown Gaston Gaudio fought back from two sets down to win a bizarre French Open final 0-6 3-6 6-4 6-1 8-6 as Guillermo Coria suffered with cramp. Coria dominated early on but played the fourth set at walking pace and served with difficulty in the closing stages. The crowd were stunned into silence, but Coria was soon fit enough to twice serve for the match in the fifth set. But cramp, or possibly nerves, saw him waste two match points and Gaudio came through in three hours 31 minutes. Gaudio received the trophy from Guillermo Vilas, who was the last Argentine to triumph at Roland Garros in 1977, before the country's national anthem was played.

I don't know how I won

"I want to thank Guillermo Vilas because it's thanks to him that we both started to play," said Gaudio.

"Since I was a kid it was a dream for me and now I'm here it's too much for me.

"Guillermo was playing unbelievable during these two weeks and for sure he'll get this title next year."

Coria had looked on course for an embarrassingly easy victory after an hour as Gaudio appeared paralysed by nerves.

But it was Coria who suffered with victory in sight and Gaudio hit back to take a tight third set.

With the score at 1-1 in the fourth, Coria called for the trainer and had both legs massaged.

And to the amazement of both spectators and his opponent, the world number three strolled through the next five games, protecting his injury.

After five breaks of serve in the fifth set and with Coria moving without difficulty, if still serving at half-pace, he served for the match at 5-4.

That game disappeared to love and another opportunity went begging at 6-5 as Coria wasted two match points with loose groundstrokes.

What a fantastic men's final, full of excitement and drama. I couldn't feel more sorry for Coria!

From Adam Glekin, Leeds
Join the debate
Gaudio needed no further invitation and raced through the next two games to claim a hugely unexpected first Grand Slam title.

The Roland Garros crowd responded with sympathy to Coria's plight, giving him a lengthy ovation after he picked up the runners-up plate.

"I want to congratulate Gaston, he's had some problems and come through them," said Coria.

"I'll be back next year."

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