Photo by JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP/Getty Images via Daylife
Marat Safin saved three match points today in the first round of the Paris Masters, a tournament he’s won three times in his career (a record he shares with Boris Becker). Watching him nearly flame-out against Thierry Ascione, a stocky 28-year-old French qualifier ranked 168 in the world, confirmed what his fans have long suspected and what Marat’s known for longer: he’s done, finished, good as dead on the ATP tour.
But Safin got a stay of execution today, serving himself out of trouble in the ninth game of the third set and finally winning the match, 7-3, in the tiebreak.
The ironic thing about my jailhouse metaphor is that Marat sees the end of his tennis career as a life-saver, not a death sentence:
“It’s beautiful what people see on TV, when you’re on the court, and there are all those people in the stadium,” Safin told the AFP in Paris. “But nobody sees the other side of it, when you have to do the massages, when you have to practise, when you have to do a lot of things. I haven’t been able to do a lot of the things I want to do.”
“Also, after a certain time, you live in a state of what feels almost like continuous stress. I want to get out of it, just so that I’m able to breathe.“
And what will the tournament organizers give Marat Safin at his final sendoff? A trophy representing the keys to the Bercy arena.
Juan Martin del Potro is his next opponent. Ah, free at last.
AP Photo/Michel Euler via Daylife
Okay enough of my doom and gloom. Here’s some of Safin at his best, against the best:
Anyone else just enjoy listening to these rallies? (Thank you to whoever made the video for not putting an annoying techno song over the action.)
Tags: ATP, Federer, Safin, tennis
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I was so nervous during that tie break. I was just so relieved he had won! Too bad he has to face Del Po next
But I heard that Roger practiced with him earlier today, and I hope he will practice with him again before his next match. Go Marat!
feel free to share any photographic evidence you may come across!
No photos yet, but I’m hoping for some tomorrow
oooooooo, wish i was at that practice. how about a fed safin final
it would be great if fed and marat could play one more time, even if not in the final. they have such great rapport and history on tour. every time they play the match is enjoyable and there are hugs at the net.
seeing two great champions together always makes me smile.
speaking of hugs, you know del po will give marat a big hug no matter what happens!
10 min of effortless, high level tennis and plenty of handsome hotness! thank you very much ff! this is welcome anytime!
i loved/hated the safin match. i was right with the tortured soul! i was PRAYing that he would eek it out and he did. loved that he had some extra motivation to live to see another day. good for him! must be weird with all the tourny people and press hovering and waiting, just incase he’s through. who knows, del po may be distracted and rusty. i’ve heard marat was one of his heroes and we all know what happened when del po faced his idol hewitt earlier this year! go BSR!
you know what was nice to see? marat smiling post win, signing autographs and shaking hands with fans. i feel like he’s ready and he’s going to enjoy this as much as he can. i’ll pretend not to be super sad! i will so be cheering him on!
That second picture is so cute. ♥
He’s way beyond ready for retirement. Terrible play from both players. Now, I’m happy he’s retired *sob* — tears of joy. Hope he’s happier with his young life to start again.
I’ll have youtube with tons of old good matches to drool on — err enjoy.
I know what you mean about those tears of joy, Jess! It’s hard to begrudge Marat his retirement when he so obviously wants out of tennis. Although I’m not sure why he’s complaining about the massages, I wouldn’t mind having unlimited massages, especially if Marat was giving them!
Marat is sooo hawt! But it seems like he is ready to go. Hope he eeks out at least a few more wins to go out on a good note.