[alexito]

greattttttttttttttttt acasuso def safin in first round in barcelona.

[Tennis Fool]

Suffering Safin slumps to Acasuso



BARCELONA, Spain -- Russian top seed Marat Safin suffered another humiliating setback when he crashed out of the Barcelona Open, losing his opening match to Argentine Jose Acasuso 6-4 6-4.

Safin, whose game has declined sharply since he lifted the Australian Open title in January, suffered his fifth defeat of the season in just over 90 minutes.

Acasuso, ranked 69, punished the 2000 champion with groundstrokes, relying on Safin's unforced errors to aid his cause.

Safin never saw a break point while losing serve once per set and he exited the showcase stadium at the Real Club de Tenis to scattered jeers.

The defeat was his second in an opening match this season.

Acasuso, who also beat Safin in the World Team Cup in Germany in 2002, now faces a third-round contest with Swiss qualifier Stanislas Wawrinka, who beat Paradorn Srichaphan 1-6 6-3 7-6.

Guillermo Coria resisted a spirited challenge from big-serving Dutchman Peter Wessels to claim a 6-2 6-7 6-4 victory in his second round match.

Fourth seed Coria was joined in the third round by an improving Juan Carlos Ferrero, who eased to a 6-4 6-4 win over Feliciano Lopez in one of the day's two all-Spanish encounters.

In the other, defending champion Tommy Robredo went down 6-1 6-4 to Alberto Martin.

Coria, who lost to Rafael Nadal in the final of last week's Monte Carlo Masters, looked to be on the verge of cracking after the towering Wessels had stormed through a tiebreak to take the second set.

The two players traded breaks at the start of the final set and Wessels broke again to take a 3-1 lead but Coria managed to compose himself.

The Argentine took advantage of a double fault by Wessels to level at 3-3.

The 23-year-old used his superior court craft to engineer a break point with a delicate pass in the 10th game and took the match when Wessels sent a loose backhand into the tramlines.

Coria faces a tricky match in the third round against Agustin Calleri, who edged a tightly contested all-Argentine duel against Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3 6-7 7-6.

Ferrero had fewer problems against Davis Cup team mate Lopez.

The former world number earned three break points in the ninth game with a clever lob and converted it on his first attempt with a firm backhand pass. He then served out to love to take the match.

Unseeded Martin made a whirlwind start to reel off the first five games against a rusty Robredo, who had been given a bye in the first round.

Robredo rallied at the start of the second set, breaking in the second game on his way to a 3-0 lead.

Martin broke back in the seventh, stepped up the pressure on Robredo with a succession of powerful ground strokes and broke again in the ninth before serving out for the match.

Impressive victory
Nadal, seeded eight, claimed an impressive 6-0 6-2 victory over Gilles Muller of Luxembourg.

The 18-year-old, who became the youngest winner of a Masters Series event in 15 years in Monte Carlo last week, ripped through the first set in 15 minutes.

The unseeded Muller was unable to match his opponent's powerful two-handed drives and sizzling forehands. After a brief rally in the second set, he succumbed to the in-form Spaniard.

Nadal, who is at a career-high number 11 in the rankings, will now face a third round match against Dominik Hrbaty. The Slovakian beat Italy's Potito Starace 6-3 6-2.

Reuters

[Fergie]

Well done Chucho!

[niko]

What a suprise!

[jmp]

Congratulations, Chucho.

[NYCtennisfan]

How many times will people excuse a Safin loss with the catch-all phrase of "He was being an OAF?" He is extremely inconsistent with his groundstrokes and that is not just because of his lack of concentration, lack of caring, etc.; he's just inconsistent. Also troubling is his relatively low % of points won when getting his first serve in. It was at 66% today which is not bad on clay but it was something like 56% against Dent and 57% Hrbaty. Marat needs to turn this around.

[Bibir]

Originally Posted by NYCtennisfan

How many times will people excuse a Safin loss with the catch-all phrase of "He was being an OAF?" He is extremely inconsistent with his groundstrokes and that is not just because of his lack of concentration, lack of caring, etc.; he's just inconsistent. Also troubling is his relatively low % of points won when getting his first serve in. It was at 66% today which is not bad on clay but it was something like 56% against Dent and 57% Hrbaty. Marat needs to turn this around.

Where is the Marat Safin fan who used the word "OAF"?

[***Daniela86***]

safin mr oaf

[MrOschie]

chucho

[Bibir]

Originally Posted by ***Daniela86***

safin mr oaf

Mr OAF?...Oh, no!...Daniela, are you kidding me?

Have you read my post above?

[Tennis Fool]

Reuters

Frustrated Safin admits crisis of confidence
Wed Apr 20, 2005 7:06 PM BST



By Simon Baskett

BARCELONA, April 20 (Reuters) - World number three Marat Safin has admitted facing a crisis of confidence after being dumped out of the Barcelona Open by Argentine Jose Acasuso on Wednesday.

The Russian, who started the year by winning the Australian Open, has lost form in recent months, losing to Juan Carlos Ferrero in Monte Carlo last week and suffering a surprise 6-4 6-4 defeat in his first match in Barcelona.

"I've had a poor two months after Australia and it's very frustrating to be in this position," said the 25-year-old.

"I've gradually lost all my confidence and that is why I lost today. My opponents know that I'm struggling and they obviously take advantage.

"I'm feeling a combination of frustration and pressure. I want to come back as fast as possible especially with the tournaments in Rome and Hamburg coming up, but there's no strategy to solve the problem it's just a question of running hard, fighting and waiting for my opportunity."

Acasuso, who beat Safin in their only previous meeting in the World Team Cup in Germany in 2002, edged the first set and made the crucial breakthrough in the fifth game of the second when he came to the net to earn a third break point.

Safin, a winner in Barcelona in 2000 and finalist in 2003, lost the game to trail 3-2 and began to lose his temper as he struggled to cope with Acasuso's heavy ground strokes and the partisan crowd got on his back.

The Argentine set up three match points when he caught Safin out with a delicate drop shot and won the match after the Russian netted a backhand return.

"He surprised me a little," Safin said. "He was lucky on a lot of points, but was very solid, he served quite well and made no serious errors."

The Russian was also forthright in his comments about the reception he received from the Barcelona crowd.

"I wasn't angry with the crowd, they were angry with me. But if they don't like what I do then I won't come, the tournament can save some money and I can save some time and everyone will be happy."

Despite his evident frustration, however, Safin remained philosophical about recovering his form before next month's French Open.

"It's only a sport, so I don't want to get carried away about it," he said. "But it's clear that no one likes to be in this position. I'm experiencing a low at the moment, but it can only get better -- when is the question though.

"If I continue fighting my opportunity will come and I'm sure that will be before French Open. Maybe I just need that little bit of luck to give me that extra push."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Chloe le Bopper]

Was the crowd getting on him?

But if they don't like what I do then I won't come, the tournament can save some money and I can save some time and everyone will be happy.

If he keeps that up he's going to run out of tournaments to attend

[foul_dwimmerlaik]

When I crash in a hospital with a stomach ulcer and a nervous breakdown I think I know whom I'll send my medication bills to.

[willie]

what happens safin, that should have been an easy match...best luck at rome.
good for chucho.

[LuCaS@ro]

I know a wta player with similar results