Interview With Marat Safin
Marat Safin is currently ranked second in the ATP Champions Race. He's preparing for a busy summer schedule which begins for him at the Tennis Masters Canada. He then follows that with the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati, and the RCA Championships in Indianapolis.
Q. You once said a few years ago that you loved women more than tennis. Is that still the case?
MARAT SAFIN: You cannot compare pleasure with the business, my friend. It's two different things. So you have to dedicate yourself to the business or to the pleasure. Sometimes you have to choose between business and pleasure; you choose business. This is my case.
Q. Is tennis for you then a means to an end? Are you actually enjoying when you're on the court? Are you having a good time?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. But, you know, sometimes is difficult because for some reasons you don't -- it is not something just playing tennis, it's more like psychological game. It's not only passing the ball, just hitting the ball as hard as you can, just serve and volley. It's more than that. Sometimes you are using your head. Sometimes it's very difficult for some reasons, because you're not playing well, or you're playing well. So it's sometimes difficult. It's difficult sometimes to win matches for some reasons. Is what happened to me in Wimbledon and semifinals in Paris.
Q. I would like to know whether the Toronto experience two years ago, history may repeat itself, do you have a sense it would repeat itself, win here in Toronto, go on and win the US Open? Do you have a sense it could happen again?
MARAT SAFIN: Yes, of course, for me it would be great because now, as you can see, it's a little bit difficult to fight with Hewitt because he's playing great and he's like 150 points maybe ahead of me. Definitely have to do well in the tour of America and try to win one Super 9. If it would be Toronto it would be, you know, big thing for me, you know, to come back there and win it one more time. Of course, to prepare myself as much as I can for The Open because it's there where going to decide basically who is pretending to be No. 1 and who has more chances. I definitely want to be there and I definitely want, you know, I would like to try to finish this year still No. 1. It would be big honor. I want it but, you know, a little bit difficult. But I'm preparing myself. I'm preparing myself mentally. I'm working hard.
Q. What do you remember about that Toronto experience, winning the tournament two years ago?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, it was great. It was just -- I never expect that I'm going to win a Super 9. You know, there I was playing great tennis. I beat Pete Sampras. I beat a couple of guys that, you know, you have to work hard to beat them. And I'm happy that I won. That give me a lot of confidence to win the US Open, definitely.
Q. When you talk about preparing yourself mentally, do you find that sometimes your temper gets in the way of your performance on the court? How do you control that temper?
MARAT SAFIN: You know, you're not the first one who is asking me this question, and I don't think you're going to be the last one. You know, for me it's tough to explain what the person he has in the head. Every person is different, as you can see, you know, in the experience of your life everybody is thinking different way. It's impossible to find two persons thinking the same way. It's very difficult because everybody has own style of life and just, you know, they're different. In my case, a lot of people, they think that it's kind of easy for me, tennis. You know, I have a lot of talent, that I have potential to win a few more Grand Slams, I have a big talent, but I'm just not focused enough, I'm not working enough, I'm not into it anymore. All the time they find to put me down all the time. It hurts. Of course, it hurts. But, my friend, is not so easy to, you know, just be with the talent. I think that is what they say. Is not enough. You have to find yourself like a player, what you want, how you want to play. Is not easy to play, especially when the tennis is more equal than before, and everybody can play tennis basically. Is not only Top 10, now is top hundred can play great tennis. You have to prepare every match and every match. This year, just I had a couple of bad loss, you know, like 7-6 in the third against Moya, a few other ones. 7-6 against Hewitt in Miami. So as you can see, I'm fighting. But I cannot make this small step that I need. It would be different story. For me, it's difficult. You know, I'm looking for it. I'm looking. I want to win. Of course, I want to win. Of course, I want to play tennis. Of course, I want to win a lot of Grand Slams. But it's not so easy. It's difficult to explain. It's not only tennis; it's more psychological game. I'm trying, but for me it's not so easy like for other persons.
Q. On that same subject, do you believe in sports psychologists? A lot of people believe in them. Do you use any?
MARAT SAFIN: No, I don't. I don't know, maybe. I never tried. I don't think I want to do it because - I don't know. Me, I'm not different, not completely nut case. I'm just different. Just don't know. People, they see what I'm doing on the court. Some people don't understand. But is not so difficult to understand. I don't know. I have to push myself sometimes when I'm losing. I have to push myself. I have to break racquet, whatever, just throw the ball out of the court. At the end it helps me. The way I played in 2000, you know, getting upset on the court. But this way I only can just push myself to work hard and to fight on the match. I liked it. It's good in this way, and it's bad because I'm showing too much that, you know, I'm too - how would say - I show too much on the court my emotion. I'm too emotional. So it doesn't help me. Of course, it helps me. It's just the way I am. I cannot change myself when I'm 22.
Q. John McEnroe used it to a great success. Do you see any comparisons between your temper and John McEnroe's? Maybe it helps you in some situations.
MARAT SAFIN: I would love to be like, you know -- to be in a way like him. But, I mean, you cannot compare me to John McEnroe. I mean, sorry, but he won 77 singles titles and 77 doubles titles. Me, I won one title and one final, so I don't think you can compare me to him. He's too good - too good. But is also different time, different tennis. I don't know. As you can see, nobody -- for example, this year, Johansson and Costa won the tournaments, so nobody can make. I don't know, like Hewitt or Federer going to win five Grand Slams or six Grand Slams, you know, something like this. It's very difficult because is too many people who are playing too good tennis.
Q. A lot of people like to see athletes show emotion like you have. People complain that tennis players don't show enough emotion. Do you find that you're more appealing to tennis fans because of your willingness to show emotion? Do you think more people should show emotion like you on the court?
MARAT SAFIN: I don't know. It's the way I am. It's nice actually to hear a lot of people, they like watching me play. It's very nice. But just, you know, the tennis stars, you don't have to forget at the end of the day it's a beautiful sport. I don't know, it's a gentleman's sport, whatever you can say. But is entertainment for the people, for the spectators. And they don't have to forget this thing. We are just entertainment.
Q. You talked a little bit earlier about the year end No. 1 and all. I wondered if that motivated you as much as Grand Slam titles? Is that something that still is as important as -- to be the year end No. 1? Does that motivate you as much as winning Grand Slams?
MARAT SAFIN: I mean, you cannot be No. 1 in the world without winning a Grand Slam. It just like doesn't work. But just it's going together. You have to. I mean, if you can win one Grand Slam in the year, then it means you are fighting for No. 1. So it's coming together. Of course, I'm motivated to be No. 1. Of course, I'm motivated to win. I would love to win a lot of more Grand Slams. You know, it would be great, but it's not so easy. Is not so easy. But you have to fight. I'm still fighting. I'm trying. I'm looking for myself. I'm looking for my game. Just sometimes it doesn't work, but you have to keep on trying.
Marat Safin is currently ranked second in the ATP Champions Race. He's preparing for a busy summer schedule which begins for him at the Tennis Masters Canada. He then follows that with the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati, and the RCA Championships in Indianapolis.
Q. You once said a few years ago that you loved women more than tennis. Is that still the case?
MARAT SAFIN: You cannot compare pleasure with the business, my friend. It's two different things. So you have to dedicate yourself to the business or to the pleasure. Sometimes you have to choose between business and pleasure; you choose business. This is my case.
Q. Is tennis for you then a means to an end? Are you actually enjoying when you're on the court? Are you having a good time?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. But, you know, sometimes is difficult because for some reasons you don't -- it is not something just playing tennis, it's more like psychological game. It's not only passing the ball, just hitting the ball as hard as you can, just serve and volley. It's more than that. Sometimes you are using your head. Sometimes it's very difficult for some reasons, because you're not playing well, or you're playing well. So it's sometimes difficult. It's difficult sometimes to win matches for some reasons. Is what happened to me in Wimbledon and semifinals in Paris.
Q. I would like to know whether the Toronto experience two years ago, history may repeat itself, do you have a sense it would repeat itself, win here in Toronto, go on and win the US Open? Do you have a sense it could happen again?
MARAT SAFIN: Yes, of course, for me it would be great because now, as you can see, it's a little bit difficult to fight with Hewitt because he's playing great and he's like 150 points maybe ahead of me. Definitely have to do well in the tour of America and try to win one Super 9. If it would be Toronto it would be, you know, big thing for me, you know, to come back there and win it one more time. Of course, to prepare myself as much as I can for The Open because it's there where going to decide basically who is pretending to be No. 1 and who has more chances. I definitely want to be there and I definitely want, you know, I would like to try to finish this year still No. 1. It would be big honor. I want it but, you know, a little bit difficult. But I'm preparing myself. I'm preparing myself mentally. I'm working hard.
Q. What do you remember about that Toronto experience, winning the tournament two years ago?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, it was great. It was just -- I never expect that I'm going to win a Super 9. You know, there I was playing great tennis. I beat Pete Sampras. I beat a couple of guys that, you know, you have to work hard to beat them. And I'm happy that I won. That give me a lot of confidence to win the US Open, definitely.
Q. When you talk about preparing yourself mentally, do you find that sometimes your temper gets in the way of your performance on the court? How do you control that temper?
MARAT SAFIN: You know, you're not the first one who is asking me this question, and I don't think you're going to be the last one. You know, for me it's tough to explain what the person he has in the head. Every person is different, as you can see, you know, in the experience of your life everybody is thinking different way. It's impossible to find two persons thinking the same way. It's very difficult because everybody has own style of life and just, you know, they're different. In my case, a lot of people, they think that it's kind of easy for me, tennis. You know, I have a lot of talent, that I have potential to win a few more Grand Slams, I have a big talent, but I'm just not focused enough, I'm not working enough, I'm not into it anymore. All the time they find to put me down all the time. It hurts. Of course, it hurts. But, my friend, is not so easy to, you know, just be with the talent. I think that is what they say. Is not enough. You have to find yourself like a player, what you want, how you want to play. Is not easy to play, especially when the tennis is more equal than before, and everybody can play tennis basically. Is not only Top 10, now is top hundred can play great tennis. You have to prepare every match and every match. This year, just I had a couple of bad loss, you know, like 7-6 in the third against Moya, a few other ones. 7-6 against Hewitt in Miami. So as you can see, I'm fighting. But I cannot make this small step that I need. It would be different story. For me, it's difficult. You know, I'm looking for it. I'm looking. I want to win. Of course, I want to win. Of course, I want to play tennis. Of course, I want to win a lot of Grand Slams. But it's not so easy. It's difficult to explain. It's not only tennis; it's more psychological game. I'm trying, but for me it's not so easy like for other persons.
Q. On that same subject, do you believe in sports psychologists? A lot of people believe in them. Do you use any?
MARAT SAFIN: No, I don't. I don't know, maybe. I never tried. I don't think I want to do it because - I don't know. Me, I'm not different, not completely nut case. I'm just different. Just don't know. People, they see what I'm doing on the court. Some people don't understand. But is not so difficult to understand. I don't know. I have to push myself sometimes when I'm losing. I have to push myself. I have to break racquet, whatever, just throw the ball out of the court. At the end it helps me. The way I played in 2000, you know, getting upset on the court. But this way I only can just push myself to work hard and to fight on the match. I liked it. It's good in this way, and it's bad because I'm showing too much that, you know, I'm too - how would say - I show too much on the court my emotion. I'm too emotional. So it doesn't help me. Of course, it helps me. It's just the way I am. I cannot change myself when I'm 22.
Q. John McEnroe used it to a great success. Do you see any comparisons between your temper and John McEnroe's? Maybe it helps you in some situations.
MARAT SAFIN: I would love to be like, you know -- to be in a way like him. But, I mean, you cannot compare me to John McEnroe. I mean, sorry, but he won 77 singles titles and 77 doubles titles. Me, I won one title and one final, so I don't think you can compare me to him. He's too good - too good. But is also different time, different tennis. I don't know. As you can see, nobody -- for example, this year, Johansson and Costa won the tournaments, so nobody can make. I don't know, like Hewitt or Federer going to win five Grand Slams or six Grand Slams, you know, something like this. It's very difficult because is too many people who are playing too good tennis.
Q. A lot of people like to see athletes show emotion like you have. People complain that tennis players don't show enough emotion. Do you find that you're more appealing to tennis fans because of your willingness to show emotion? Do you think more people should show emotion like you on the court?
MARAT SAFIN: I don't know. It's the way I am. It's nice actually to hear a lot of people, they like watching me play. It's very nice. But just, you know, the tennis stars, you don't have to forget at the end of the day it's a beautiful sport. I don't know, it's a gentleman's sport, whatever you can say. But is entertainment for the people, for the spectators. And they don't have to forget this thing. We are just entertainment.
Q. You talked a little bit earlier about the year end No. 1 and all. I wondered if that motivated you as much as Grand Slam titles? Is that something that still is as important as -- to be the year end No. 1? Does that motivate you as much as winning Grand Slams?
MARAT SAFIN: I mean, you cannot be No. 1 in the world without winning a Grand Slam. It just like doesn't work. But just it's going together. You have to. I mean, if you can win one Grand Slam in the year, then it means you are fighting for No. 1. So it's coming together. Of course, I'm motivated to be No. 1. Of course, I'm motivated to win. I would love to win a lot of more Grand Slams. You know, it would be great, but it's not so easy. Is not so easy. But you have to fight. I'm still fighting. I'm trying. I'm looking for myself. I'm looking for my game. Just sometimes it doesn't work, but you have to keep on trying.
