Safin's return from injury is not what the doctor ordered
Wed Aug 17, 2005 2:24 AM BST
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By Simon Cambers
CINCINNATI, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Australian Open champion Marat Safin admitted he had played against medical advice after returning to the tour with victory in the first round of the Cincinnati Masters Series event on Tuesday.
The Russian fourth seed beat Czech Jan Hernych 7-6 6-4 to reach the second round, but the left knee injury that caused him to miss seven weeks after his third-round defeat at Wimbledon, is still causing him trouble.
"All the doctors were telling me to stay away a little bit longer, for another two weeks at least," Safin said.
"It still hurts a little bit. I am still afraid to move fast. Hopefully, it will get better.
"I took a risk to come here and start a little bit early to prepare for the U.S. Open. The doctor was a bit scared because the pain can increase. For the moment it's OK, but at some stage I can hurt myself even more.
"Maybe you know the soccer player, Ronaldo, he had the same injury, kind of the same. He continued playing and then he hurt himself and he didn't play for two years."
Safin, who is considering playing in the warm-up event in New Haven next week, said that he had been lucky not to require an operation.
"I've been injected with my own blood. It's just a new system, a new thing," the two times grand slam winner added.
"It's like there is a cut ligament. So basically they injected your own blood with the rebuilding cells so the ligament goes together. And so it's produced a little bit faster because normally it takes like three to four months, this injury.
"I guess it took me one month and a half, but still I think I rushed it little bit. Hopefully I'll be OK."
FAVOURITE EVENTS
After winning the Australian Open in January, Safin struggled to regain his form and concentration, while his knee began to affect him badly, both at the French Open and Wimbledon.
The U.S. Open, where he won his first grand slam title in 2000, is one of his favourite events and Safin admitted he would not have returned to the tour so soon had the year's final major tournament not been less than a fortnight away.
"I didn't really practice before the tournament. Only when I just came three days ago, I played for two hours each day," he said.
"I can see that I have to defend a lot of points (in the indoor season), and I need to do really well if I want to maintain myself in the top ten," he said.
"Hopefully I will be lucky with the draws and I'll be able to get through the first week in the U.S. Open so that it can carry me until the end of the season. Because if you manage to get into the second week, then basically it means that you are playing well.
"And then Asia, Davis Cup. Hopefully I can maintain myself in the top ten or even top five, why not?"
Wed Aug 17, 2005 2:24 AM BST
Printer Friendly | Email Article | RSS
By Simon Cambers
CINCINNATI, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Australian Open champion Marat Safin admitted he had played against medical advice after returning to the tour with victory in the first round of the Cincinnati Masters Series event on Tuesday.
The Russian fourth seed beat Czech Jan Hernych 7-6 6-4 to reach the second round, but the left knee injury that caused him to miss seven weeks after his third-round defeat at Wimbledon, is still causing him trouble.
"All the doctors were telling me to stay away a little bit longer, for another two weeks at least," Safin said.
"It still hurts a little bit. I am still afraid to move fast. Hopefully, it will get better.
"I took a risk to come here and start a little bit early to prepare for the U.S. Open. The doctor was a bit scared because the pain can increase. For the moment it's OK, but at some stage I can hurt myself even more.
"Maybe you know the soccer player, Ronaldo, he had the same injury, kind of the same. He continued playing and then he hurt himself and he didn't play for two years."
Safin, who is considering playing in the warm-up event in New Haven next week, said that he had been lucky not to require an operation.
"I've been injected with my own blood. It's just a new system, a new thing," the two times grand slam winner added.
"It's like there is a cut ligament. So basically they injected your own blood with the rebuilding cells so the ligament goes together. And so it's produced a little bit faster because normally it takes like three to four months, this injury.
"I guess it took me one month and a half, but still I think I rushed it little bit. Hopefully I'll be OK."
FAVOURITE EVENTS
After winning the Australian Open in January, Safin struggled to regain his form and concentration, while his knee began to affect him badly, both at the French Open and Wimbledon.
The U.S. Open, where he won his first grand slam title in 2000, is one of his favourite events and Safin admitted he would not have returned to the tour so soon had the year's final major tournament not been less than a fortnight away.
"I didn't really practice before the tournament. Only when I just came three days ago, I played for two hours each day," he said.
"I can see that I have to defend a lot of points (in the indoor season), and I need to do really well if I want to maintain myself in the top ten," he said.
"Hopefully I will be lucky with the draws and I'll be able to get through the first week in the U.S. Open so that it can carry me until the end of the season. Because if you manage to get into the second week, then basically it means that you are playing well.
"And then Asia, Davis Cup. Hopefully I can maintain myself in the top ten or even top five, why not?"
:scared:
