“What kind of sportsman are you, what kind of man are you?” - Marat Safin
The ATP’s Grumpy Season is in full swing at the Shanghai Masters (no wonder Roger’s sitting it out). Even Marat Safin, who is saying adios to the tour in just a few weeks, is taking the opportunity to settle some scores. At issue are two of the players’ favorite complaints: 1. the length of the season, and 2. sketchy injury time outs.
Marat says that Andy Roddick, a vocal critic of the ATP schedule this week in Shanghai, should have listened to him years ago:
In 2004 we had this discussion in Olympic Games with Roddick about it and they were blaming me that I’m playing too much. And I was saying that the season is too long. We should make it shorter. And the guys, they jumped on me, like I was the one who was wrong.
So look at all of them — everybody is falling apart. Everybody is getting injured left and right, and everybody is complaining the season is long. It takes six years to realize that something is wrong.
They just have to deal with that, not when they are 21 and ambitious and want to make money. They have to think a little bit with their brains and to make the career a little bit longer. (via the AFP)
Safin may have a bone to pick with Roddick, but he still agrees that the calendar is a problem: “It’s a beautiful sport, so why kill the players and make the calendar basically playing 12 months of the year?” (via Monsters & Critics)
I’ve always wondered why Safin was once quoted as saying he didn’t like Andy Roddick. I assumed it was a tiff over a girl (silly me!), but perhaps it’s just run-of-the-mill office politics.
AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko
Marat is especially grumpy because he lost in Shanghai on Wednesday, going out to Tomas Berdych: 3-6 6-4 6-4. Safin declined to shake Berdych’s hand after the match, angry at the Czech for making a dubious request for the trainer towards the beginning of the second set. Here’s what Safin had to say after the match:
Just come on; just grow up a little bit; 26 years old; just deal with that. If you’re losing, just be a man; be a man and lose as a man.
Don’t pretend like you are injured and then you start running around and start to hit winners and then all of a sudden you pull the hands up in the air after winning the match?
So then of course the guy will say: ‘No, I’ve been injured but then I felt a little bit better’.
Of course he will find 10,000 excuses. Still, it’s not enough. You’re playing or you’re not playing. If you’re playing, so just shut up and play. (via the AFP)
Actually, it was “so just shut the f#ck up”. Click here for the audio file. Good stuff.
And I love this report from the press room:
“(Marat Safin’s tirade) was an impressive display and one that had some members of the media nodding in agreement. Meanwhile the wee Chinese girl providing simultaneous translation had gone beetroot red, having heard language that she never encountered at the Beijing University of Linguistics.”
Come on, Marat, just say it: “Nanny nanny boo boo!”
Tags: ATP, Berdych, retirement, Roddick, Safin, Shanghai Masters, tennis
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it’s just impossible to hate him. look at the title, for any other player i’ll be commenting “oh lawd what an obnoxious child”
for safin i smile and like him all the more
Like Dinara said “You’re my God”
We’ll see today (Simon vs Berdycn) if Berdych feels better or need another time-out.
Go Gilles.
And I want Marat Safin to come here and… Mmmmm…. *blush* never mind, never mind
I won’t say what “providing simultaneous translation” made me think of!
LOL! This makes me so sad that he’s leaving.
Love Marat!!!
*stands up and applauds*
He’s leaving at the end of the year! What does he care? He’s going to kick the table over on his way out and pull the covers!
Love. This. Man.
Will miss him. *pouts*
Hmm, I would love to see an actual video of this. I wonder what Berdych thought of all this and what his response was?
From what I’ve heard, the “send-off” was no where near as nice as the one in Bejing. Then again, Marat actually LIKES Rafa and he felt good about the match and the whole vibe on court was smiley and sweet (albeit cringe worthy at some parts)…
Marat, ye will be missed! I hope he goes all out and dishes all the dirt on the ATP suits and powers-that-be! It’d be so awesome! He’s such a rebel!
Marat for ATP President!
i was wondering why there was a wave off/no handshake from marat! he has a good point, especially since he was never one to abuse the medical timeouts. in fact, i can’t even recall a match in all these years when he had the trainer out. i love how honest he is, not just because he’s retiring, since he’s always been outspoken… and that’s what makes him so hot, lovable and quotable! i feel like it would be brilliant to make a calendar of his hotness, coupled with his famous quotes. the beijing send off was much nicer, but either way, it’s nice to see him smile and reluctantly accept the attention.
Marat is one to talk about “acting like a man” or whatever, he has acted silly and held up play many times on court and for less reasons than Injury,. Tomas only just turned 24, he’s not 26 as Safin said, and he does not abuse the time out rule, I’ve only seen him take ONE injury time out in years that his matches have been televised and I’ve watched. He has had problems with the thigh and leg that he got treatment on earlier this year. Marat is acting like a jerk.
Really, Safin? Gamemanship is a part of tennis, and even if it weren’t, whining shouldn’t be. Who’s the one not being a man here?