There's a perverse pleasure in watching Marat Safin play tennis. It's one part genius, two parts fury.

You haven't seen volatility until you've witnessed the Russian miss a volley he feels should've been made.

So talented is the 24-year-old he embarks on two matches every time he takes to the court: the first against himself; the second - and you can't help but feel the lesser - against the man on the other side of the net.

You know this when Safin smashes a dead ball the length of the court with little regard for the consequences. On this day the rocket passes by the nose of an unsuspecting Mario Ancic.

Had it made contact this match would have gone into the record books as a knock out. Who would have progressed to the fourth round would've been anyone's guess.

It's compelling in the same way you imagine a volcano bubbling with lava, knowing at any moment the destructive forces will be unleashed.

Trouble is Safin shapes as the man most likely to make this Australian Open anything more than a coronation for the modern champion of the men's game, Roger Federer.

A year ago Safin was no match for Federer in the Open final but it came at the end of a torrid campaign. He'd played more sets than any man on the road through the fortnight and when he apologetically explained he had nothing left to give on the last Sunday he was forgiven.

This year his presence seems more ominous. He shredded his first couple of opponents barely breaking a sweat and dropping just 11 games.

He paused along the way to publicly clip his sister Dinara Safina after her second round loss declaring she'd never develop until she started listening to his advice.

Imagine a member of that family not taking advice. The Christmas gathering must really be something.

Safin stopped in at Rod Laver Arena on Friday to square off with the 28th seed Mario Ancic.

For Safin the first set was sweet, it all came unhinged in the second, the third retrieved a relative equilibrium, and the fourth delivered victory.

He didn't greet the win with any sense of joy, more the look of a man whose daily torture had mercifully come to an end.

Safin's drop shot at an impossible angle in the second will be replayed for the duration of the tournament.

His dead racquet at a live ball soon after was indicative of the brain fade you could see developing.

By way of explanation Safin told the crowd: "Some times my head goes away and doesn't come back."

It was the most accurate analysis you'd ever wish to hear.

As if we'd not had a deep enough insight into the curious psyche of Marat Safin, his press conference offered more.

In his mumbled and slightly broken English, Safin is self-deprecating in his honesty. He clearly enjoys the exercise as witnessed by the glint in his eye and the wisp of a smile.

"I'm trying to give all my best," is Safin's introspection. "If it doesn't go my way then there's nothing I can do about it. You cannot be hard on yourself.

"It's already enough to play against the opponent that is trying to beat you. Just try to be positive. If it doesn't go your way, so what are you going to do? Can't fight it."

It's a mantra you suspect he's struggling with.

Asked how his sister had reacted to his spray: "I didn't speak to her yet. It's OK, women are very delicate people so (laughter) it takes a bit of time for them to calm down and really to think properly because they go with emotions, but then they use the head."

Is your mum here?

"No, she's not. Two women is too much for me."

With the room in raptures the final questions went thus:

Q: "Is there any chance that you will be like Agassi, from 20 to 25 it's up and down, unpredictable and then?"

Safin: "I pray for this. I really pray for this. I really, really hope so. Thank you."

Q: "Do you think maybe at 29 all of a sudden you'll become serious, like a machine like Agassi?"

Safin: "Not too serious. Come on. Life you cannot take too serious. It's just a sport that we love to be here and to enjoy it."

Q: "You think you'll be playing at 34?"

Safin: "I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow. You asking me if I'm gonna play until 34."

It all ended in laughter.

FOR a player renowned for racquet-smashing rampages, Marat Safin has so far been as meek and attentive to the job as a choir boy.

That's not to say the smouldering Russian volcano won't blow a fissure at Melbourne Park . . . but not if Marat can avoid it.
Three strength-sapping five-setters reduced Safin to Federer fodder in last year's Australian Open final and he's determined to conserve energy during this title campaign.

So he was pleased it required less than three hours to ease past talented young Croatian Mario Ancic 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-4 yesterday to reach the fourth round.

"I'm much more comfortable right now than I was last year. I'm playing a little bit smarter," Safin said.
"Whenever I have the opportunity, just keep it as short as I can because it's a long tournament and there's no need to waste energy on something that you don't have to.

"I'm saving myself, trying to keep myself calm on the court because against these players, like Ancic, you go crazy and you might never come back.

"He will feel straight away that I'm not there, so he will take his opportunity and he can win this match.

"So basically I'm saving my energy, my power, try to stay calm and think properly what I have to do to beat him."

Ancic, the 28th seed, was a potentially fatal foe if the old Safin had turned up with a wandering mind and penchant for racquet abuse.

But the only hiccup for the world No. 4 this time was an ankle scare at the end of the third game in the fourth set.

It seemed Safin was in trouble when he toppled face down on centre court and he called for a tour trainer after limping to his chair.

He took a three-minute injury timeout to have the right ankle heavily strapped -- and his supporters were relieved to watch him sweep through the next game to love with his heavy serve and unhindered movement.

"I've had a lot of problems with this ankle before. I wanted to be a little bit safer, so I asked for it to be taped more and he gave my some pills, painkillers, because it was really painful. I played quite a good game afterwards and it will be OK," the fourth seed said.

Safin, who turns 25 next week, didn't shy away from his temper tantrums in the past, explaining them as part of the development into the improved player now pressing to build on his 2000 US Open crown.

"You have to pass through this stage. I think I just passed it and I'm much calmer. I don't regret anything I did before because it had to happen (for me) to be here. If it had been a different way, I might not be here at all," Safin said.

What hasn't changed is Safin's blunt honesty. He blasted little sister Dinara two days ago and this time he turned his attention on Russia's young male players.

He agreed the group of high-ranked women players had garnered far more attention at home than the men.

"But it hasn't been any wake-up call to the guys, to the juniors. They don't get it. It's just sad to see," he said.

"It should be a wake-up call for the upcoming guys, to see what's going on. They choose the easier way, you know, like easy life for some reason."