Safin went fishing, and got his game back
By DENNIS PASSA, Associated Press Writer
January 27, 2004
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) --

Marat Safin was sitting in a boat in Northern California with his coach and a friend last year, a fishing rod in one hand and a beer in the other.
He had a cast on his wrist and he was wondering about his tennis career.

In 2003 the Russian had dropped out of the top 50 for the first time since 1997. He had played in only 13 tournaments. He was determined to set things right.
After Tuesday's five-set win over top-ranked Andy Roddick in the Australian Open quarterfinals, he appears on course. His goal is to regain the No. 1 ranking he held in November 2000.

Safin saw a doctor in Los Angeles who diagnosed the problem -- small cuts in the ligaments and cartilage of the left wrist. A cast was put on and he took six weeks off.

``What I had to do was just wait, wait, wait,'' Safin said after his 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (0), 6-4 win over Roddick. ``I had nothing to do. I was a little bit depressed, so I went camping.''
``I took a car and drove to the gas station to buy a map. I was going to Oregon, but it was too far away. And I had really good time ... to think a little bit, no people. You need these kind of things. Just chill out.''

Safin said the fishing was great -- ``just sitting with our beers, eight hours a day on a boat.''

His victory over Roddick came on his 24th birthday. Safin has a hard time remembering the last time he was playing so well.
``Probably when I won Davis Cup,'' he said. ``That was December of 2002. And since then I haven't really played any great matches because of some circumstances.''

He was referring to injuries, predominantly the left wrist, but earlier in 2003 to the right shoulder. He saw a succession of doctors who couldn't tell him what was wrong. the he found the doctor in Los Angeles, who thought surgery was not possible.
Safin thought the layoff would hurt his game.

``You don't feel the moment,'' he said. ``You don't feel when to go to the net, when to stay back, what to do, the serve, the returns, all these things, you basically have to start from the zero.''

Against Roddick, a trainer had to rub his left thigh in the first game of the second set. But it didn't seem to bother him the rest of the way. Safin next faces Andre Agassi in the semifinals.

A finalist in Australia in 2002, Safin won over the crowd at Rod Laver Arena with his gutsy play. Before he walked off the court, and at the urging of television commentator John McEnroe, the fans sang ``Happy Birthday'' to him.
``I can't ask for anything else,'' Safin said. ``It's probably the best birthday I ever had, especially when 15,000 people are singing.''

Safin unveils new vintage to outclass RoddickAustralian

By Kathy Marks in Melbourne

28 January 2004

Marat Safin is back. The tall, lugubrious Russian left no one in any doubt after an intense, gripping performance last night in which he outplayed Andy Roddick at his own game and tipped the No 1 seed out of the Australian Open.But it was not the "old Marat", as Safin describes his younger self, who beat Roddick 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4 in a drama-laced quarter-final that lasted three hours and 23 minutes.

That person would have played some brilliant tennis before getting distracted, breaking a racket or two and then storming off court to drown his sorrows in a nightclub.The "new Marat", the one who will meet Andre Agassi in the semi-finals tomorrow, is a player who keeps his emotions in check, who runs down every ball, fights every point, is not afraid to come to the net and remains focused until the last ball is struck.

Safin spent most of last year off the circuit, nursing a wrist injury that forced him to pull out of last year's Australian Open before the third round. He did not play in another Grand Slam tournament until he arrived in Melbourne 10 days ago, and his long break was expected to be a serious hindrance.

It was fitting that the match in which the former No 1 not only made an emphatic comeback but also, perhaps, came of age happened to fall on his 24th birthday. After he shook hands with Roddick, the 14,623-strong crowd in the Rod Laver Arena stood up and sang him "Happy Birthday"."I can't ask for anything more," said the unseeded Safin, whose ranking fell to 86 last year. "It's probably the best birthday I've ever had. I'm back. That's the most important thing."

Roddick, who seemed unstoppable before last night and had not dropped a set in earlier rounds, was gracious in defeat. The 21-year-old American, who will lose his No 1 ranking later this week, applauded several of Safin's winners. Afterwards he cracked jokes and said there were lessons to draw from the encounter. He has done some growing up too."It's a little disappointing, but he played great, so we just have to suck it up and give credit to him," said Roddick. "I've got 11 months to try to get the No 1 back."He could easily have been the victor in a closely fought match.

Safin made a slow start and, after losing the first set, called for the trainer to treat an abductor strain. He returned to court a different player: confident, aggressive, running Roddick around court and forcing him into one error after another.For the first time in the tournament, the American's serve was under pressure and its owner seriously rattled.

"Terrible!" the US Open champion shouted at himself, infuriated by one mistake. "Direction!" he berated himself after another. Safin broke twice and, on set point, hit a forehand that landed right next to Roddick. The latter did not even try to return it.

The Russian was in command in the third set, sprinting around court like a demon, ripping the ball cross-court and sending sliced volleys way out of reach. Roddick's coach, Brad Gilbert, bit his nails in the stand. Then, as the two men battled grimly for dominance in the fourth set, the old Marat returned.With the American 2-1 down in the fourth set and facing a break point, Safin tumbled as he lunged to reach a backhand, then got up like a flash but just missed a forehand passing him on the other flank. There were no more break points in that set and, when it came to the tie-break, the 6ft 5in right-hander gave it to Roddick 7-0. Safin said he had been haunted by the missed opportunity. "It really bothered me, it really hurt me, because it cost me so much to win the two sets," he said.

In the fifth set, though, he did not give up; he slowed down. Finding himself with two break points at 4-4, he played each one carefully and was rewarded with a break. Now he was serving for the match. He was nervous and suddenly Roddick had two break points. Safin saved them. Roddick put his racket in his mouth and chewed it.

Now match point. The Russian snapped a forehand volley over the net for victory.Safin beat Pete Sampras to win the 2000 US Open at the age of 20, but the closest he has come to another Grand Slam title was losing to Thomas Johansson in the Australian Open final in 2002.

After playing five long matches en route to the semis, he will face an Agassi who has spent less than half his time on court. The defending champion played barely one set yesterday before his quarter-final opponent, Sebastien Grosjean, retired injured.

"I'll have to be really fresh against Andre," said Safin. "I will try to make my best tennis and whatever happens, happens."

Instead of the usual bevy of blondes, it was Safin's mother and former coach, Rausa Islanova, who was cheering him on last night. But the old Marat has not completely vanished. Asked how he planned to prepare for the semi-final, Safin said he would have a good sleep, a massage, "and some beers for the muscles to relax - and for myself also".

:

Safin knocks out No. 1

By Linda Pearce The age

January 28, 2004

Marat Safin on his way to clinching victory over top seed Andy Roddick. Before the Australian Open started, Marat Safin announced that nothing less than a semi-final appearance would suffice in his grand slam comeback after a frustrating year away. At the time, it seemed wildly optimistic, almost fanciful; top seed Andy Roddick last night discovered, through an epic five-set defeat, that it was not.

Safin brought a misleading world ranking of 86th to Melbourne Park, having not won a match since April. Roddick is No. 1, and the winner of five titles in the past seven months. Still, the only figures that mattered last night were those on the scoreboard. In Safin's favour, they read: 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (0-7), 6-4, in a match played over three hours 23 minutes

.Roddick had cautioned before the match that Safin's talent had not gone away during his many months absent from the game with a wrist injury, and last night Safin proved it. Two of the game's heaviest hitters staged their version of a prize fight, and it was the Russian, celebrating his 24th birthday, who achieved what Roddick had managed in last year's fabled quarter-final against Younes El Aynaoui. "I'm getting older and smarter," said Safin, who tomorrow night plays defending champion Andre Agassi for a place in his second Australian Open final in three years.

"Let's be realistic: how many hours I spent this week on the court, (Agassi) didn't spend even half of it."He is a great player, and for me it will be nice for me to play with him semi-finals. It's going to be a great match for me, no matter what happens to me; I'm back, it's the most important thing for me, and I will try to make my best tennis, and whatever happens, happens."

Agassi had predicted pre-match that Safin was one of the few players capable of returning the Roddick world-best serve, to at least make him play, and so, after a sluggish start, he did.

At one stage, Roddick was broken three times in the space of six games, a return that would satisfy many opponents over an entire match.Safin missed much of 2003 after tearing the ligaments in his left wrist in the first round here last year. He started like a man who had been short of tennis and then, in a rush, had played too much.

Safin, usually so combustible, wandered through the first set as if a fog had enveloped Rod Laver Arena.But then a courtside consultation with the trainer summoned to treat groin soreness instilled some pep into Safin's step. He held, broke, held, then threatened again, and a second break confirmed the second set 6-3.

Roddick had not lost a set in his previous four rounds, and has opened with a 6-2 score in all five, but nor had he played an opponent quite like this one. Forget the current ranking, and think about the top spot Safin owned briefly in late 2000, and has vowed to reclaim by the end of the year. Forget the Crazy Russian jokes and think about the fact that, in the words of Roger Federer, "He's got a lot of things in his game which can make him a great, great player, and this is for me talent".

Safin outserved Roddick, 19 aces to 18, and hit 60 winners to 50. He is a physical match for Roddick, and also outlasted him last night, despite a longer and more gruelling lead-in, and doubts over his ability to last the distance after a deflating 0-7 effort in the fourth set tie-breaker. But Safin duly broke in the ninth game of the fifth, and saved two break chances before serving out a remarkable victory

.The pair had met only once before, in Los Angeles in 2001, when the rising Roddick played the risen Russian, the reigning United States Open champion, and lost in straight sets. Roddick is now No. 1, while Safin is starting the long haul back - with a new, improved, attitude, he insists, although we have all heard that before.

But the evidence is starting to become compelling, and perhaps the fact that Safin's comical blonde entourage of 2002 now contains his mother and childhood coach, Rausa Islanova, is an indication of some newfound stability.

Now for Agassi, who clearly shares a mutual respect."Big serve. That worries me," Agassi said. "Six (foot) five always tends to worry me a little bit. Monster serve is a bit concerning, as well as a backhand that he can crush both directions. And the fact that he moves well is a bit unsettling."

Open-Safin returns from the wilderness
By Julian Linden

MELBOURNE, Jan 27 (Reuters) -

Marat Safin finally completed his long journey back from the tennis wilderness on Tuesday when he upset world number one Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

Once the youngest number one in history, the towering Russian's career was on the ropes last year when he suffered a series of shoulder and wrist injuries that no-one could heal and his ranking tumbled to 86.

He finally found a Los Angeles surgeon who diagnosed his problem, but the cure was not quite what Safin had in mind.

"He just put me in a cast and told me to wait," Safin said after his spectacular 2-6 6-3 7-5 6-7 6-4 victory over Roddick which set up a semi-final against Andre Agassi.

"I had it on for a month and a half and there was nothing I could do. I was a little bit depressed."

Safin then made a decision which he says has changed his outlook on life.

A multi-millionaire with a playboy reputation, he could have gone to any five-star resort in the world but opted instead for a modest tent in Yosemite Park in California.

"I had a really good time camping," he said. "I went fishing eight hours a day, just sitting on the boat with our beers. Whatever we caught, we cooked and ate.

"It was really good for me. It made me relax and chill out."

DESIRE SHARPENED

Safin's time in the great outdoors not only helped him "chill out" but also made him realise how much he missed tennis.

A prodigious talent who beat Pete Sampras to win the 2000 U.S. Open, the closest Safin had come to winning a second grand slam title was when he finished runner-up to Thomas Johansson at the 2002 Australian Open.

But his time in the wilderness sharpened his desire to get back and the 1.93 metres-tall Russian began training in December with renewed enthusiasm.

"I had to sacrifice a lot of things and work at it day after day," he explained.

"The confidence comes after matches but all those feelings, you need work on them."

Safin came into the Australian Open with little hope of winning the title but regarded as one of the dangerous floaters in the field.

He managed to get through his first two matches alright, then clawed his way past Todd Martin in five gruelling sets.

It drained him of his energy but gave the confidence he needed to continue. A four-set win over James Blake in the fourth round was the first real sign that he was on his way back but the proof came against Roddick.

"I thought it was going to take me a lot longer to come back because after so many months you completely lose the game," he said.

"You cannot feel when to go to the net, when to stay back, what to do...all these things.

"I started to miss tennis actually, that's why I'm playing so good. But I'm back now, that's the most important thing."

Safin supreme in ousting Roddick in five sets - now for Agassi

By Robert Smith MELBOURNE (AFP) -

Russian birthday boy Marat Safin knocked out world number one Andy Roddick in five enthralling sets to set up a semi-final with defending champion Andre Agassi at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Safin, unseeded but a finalist here two years ago, played sensational tennis to oust the top seed 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (0/7), 6-4 in 3hr 23min in a night quarter-final. The big Russian, who is playing his first Grand Slam tournament after an injury-ravaged 2003, celebrated his 24th birthday in grand style with a memorable win over the US Open champion.

"He has improved a lot since the last time we played, he serves so good and he's improved his volley, backhand is great, and it's tough to hold it with him on the baseline," Safin said. "Andre's a great player and it will be nice to play him in the semi-finals, it's going to be a great match for me, no matter what happens. "I'm back, it's the most important thing for me and I'll try to play my best tennis."

Safin has spent considerably longer time on court than Agassi at the Open and Tuesday's classic was his second five-set match here after overcoming American Todd Martin in the third round.

On Tuesday's form he is a genuine contender to stop all-conquering Agassi, on a hot 26-match winning streak, from winning his fifth Australian title. Safin is gunning for his second major title after beating Pete Sampras at the 2000 US Open.

The power-serving Russian thundered down 19 aces to Roddick's 18 and broke the 21-year-old American's gun serve five times, and lost his on three occasions. It was Safin's second career win over Roddick, the last coming three years ago in Los Angeles in two sets.

Roddick began positively holding his opening service to love and then breaking Safin's service after the Russian found the net with two backhands. The world number one staved off two break points in the fifth game and jumped to a 5-1 lead when the Russian played a sloppy couple of points for the second break. Safin hit back working his way to 0-40 on his next service after Roddick inexplicably hit a volley that was going out and then clipped the tape on break point for 2-5. But Roddick jumped on to Safin's next service, getting to three break points before the Russian played a poorly-executed drop shot from the back of the court that found the net.

Safin called for the trainer after the first game of the second set for what appeared a left groin strain, but continued on apparently unaffected. He brought the crowd to their feet when he broke Roddick's service a second time in the third game. The Russian was increasingly coming to the net to dictate the rallies and on his second break point he put away a volley to go up a break.

Safin was cranking up the pressure on the the top seed before breaking him in the ninth to take the second set with some hammer forehands. It was the first set Roddick had dropped in the tournament.

Both players traded service games jockeying for an opening and it came for Safin in the 12th game on the only break point of the set. The American shanked a forehand well out of court to bring up set point and then put another forehand into the net to give Safin a two sets to one lead as the match neared two hours.

Safin had the only break point of the fiercely-contested fourth set in the fourth game but could not convert and the set went to a tiebreaker. But Safin played a horrible tiebreaker netting an overhead and rushing a backhand into the net as recharged Roddick raced through to love to level the match at two-sets all.

Safin survived a monumental game on service in the fourth of the final set, finishing it with an ace but the Russian got his big chance five games later when he had the American down two break points and broke through when he powered a forehand at Roddick at the net. Roddick attempted a drop shot but netted for the break leaving Safin to serve out for the match. Roddick got to 15-40 and two break back points with a blistering forehand but Safin wrapped it up with a 200kmh ace before opening up the court to finish with an unstoppable point-blank smash.

Safin shatters top seed Roddick
By Julian Linden

Daily Mirror

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -

Giant Russian Marat Safin has stunned world number one Andy Roddick 2-6 6-3 7-5 6-7 6-4 at the Australian Open to set up a showdown with defending champion Andre Agassi in the semi-finals.

Safin, who has slipped down the world rankings to 86 after missing most of last year with injury, pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament with a breathtaking display on his 24th birthday.

"I started to miss tennis actually, that's why I'm playing so good," Safin said. "But I'm back now, that's the most important thing."

Roddick, 21, made a flying start, snatching the first set in just 26 minutes, but Safin hit back to produce his finest performance since he beat Pete Sampras in the 2000 U.S. Open final.

The match was dominated by powerful serving and ferocious ground strokes but both players also showed glimpses of their more subtle skills, volleying, lobbing and chipping for points.

Roddick went into the match as strong favourite after cruising into the quarter-finals without dropping a set while Safin had played three four-setters and a five-setter.

The American made a perfect start when he broke Safin's first service game, then saved two break points against him in the fifth game.

Roddick broke again in the sixth game as Safin struggled to find his rhythm. The Russian pulled one back in the seventh game but undid his good work when he dropped his next service game to concede the opening set.

DISPUTED RULING

Unperturbed, Safin made a better start to the second set, breaking Roddick in the third game as the American started to lose his composure.

He disputed a ruling that went against him then dropped his racket in anger when he lost his serve again in the ninth game to hand the set to Safin, whose eagerness to come to the net started paying dividends.

Roddick, taking his cue from his opponent, began to venture away from the baseline in the third but still could not break Safin's serve and threw the set away when he was broken in the 12th game.

Games went with serve in the fourth set before Roddick won the tiebreak 7-0 to square the match at two sets all and set the stage for a thrilling climax.

Safin, who had not been broken since the opening set, saved a further two break points in the final set before pouncing on a mistake by Roddick to break him for a 5-4 lead.

He again to had to fend off two break points but regained his composure to serve out and seal a stupendous victory.

Safin Shatters Top Seed Roddick at Aussie Open
Tue January 27, 2004

By Julian Linden
MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) -

Giant Russian Marat Safin stunned world number one Andy Roddick, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, at the Australian Open Tuesday to set up a showdown with defending champion Andre Agassi in the semi-finals.

Safin, who has slipped down the world rankings to 86 after missing most of last year with injury, pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament with a breathtaking display on his 24th birthday.

"I started to miss tennis actually, that's why I'm playing so good," Safin said. "But I'm back now, that's the most important thing."

Roddick, 21, made a flying start, snatching the first set in just 26 minutes, but Safin hit back to produce his finest performance since he beat Pete Sampras in the 2000 U.S. Open final.

The match was dominated by powerful serving and ferocious ground strokes but both players also showed glimpses of their more subtle skills, volleying, lobbing and chipping for points.

Roddick went into the match as strong favorite after cruising into the quarter-finals without dropping a set while Safin had played three four-setters and a five-setter.

The American made a perfect start when he broke Safin's first service game, then saved two break points against him in the fifth game.

Roddick broke again in the sixth game as Safin struggled to find his rhythm. The Russian pulled one back in the seventh game but undid his good work when he dropped his next service game to concede the opening set.

DISPUTED RULING

Unperturbed, Safin made a better start to the second set, breaking Roddick in the third game as the American started to lose his composure.

He disputed a ruling that went against him then dropped his racket in anger when he lost his serve again in the ninth game to hand the set to Safin, whose eagerness to come to the net started paying dividends.

Roddick, taking his cue from his opponent, began to venture away from the baseline in the third but still could not break Safin's serve and threw the set away when he was broken in the 12th game.

Games went with serve in the fourth set before Roddick won the tiebreak 7-0 to square the match at two sets all and set the stage for a thrilling climax.

Safin, who had not been broken since the opening set, saved a further two break points in the final set before pouncing on a mistake by Roddick to break him for a 5-4 lead.

He again to had to fend off two break points but regained his composure to serve out and seal a stupendous victory.

Safin wins titanic match

Marat Safin celebrated his 24th birthday in style on Tuesday by stunning top seed Andy Roddick 2-6 6-3 7-5 6-7 6-4 in a mammoth Australian Open quarter-final encounter. Safin will now play Andre Agassi after the American was gifted a walkover when France's Sebastien Grosjean retired injured.

Roddick burst out of the blocks, the U.S. Open champion speeding through the first set in 26 minutes as a nervous-looking Safin committed a string of unforced errors.

But former world number one Safin sent doubts through Roddick's mind when he called his trainer on to the Rod Laver court at the start of the second set with an apparent groin strain. The pause has the required affect and Safin hit back with a vengeance to take the second and third sets from a bewildered Roddick.

Safin, Melbourne runner-up in 2002, then appeared to suffer from fatigue mid-way through the fourth set as a total of 18 hours on court began to take its toll. Roddick jumped on the opportunity, taking the tie-break by seven points to love and was seemingly on the road to victory.

However, the 2000 U.S. Open champion dug deep into his reserves and broke Roddick in the ninth game of the final set and, after saving two break points, wrapped up the biggest shock of the men's tournament with a forehand volley after three hours 23 minutes

Safin Knocks Off Top-Ranked Roddick

By PAUL ALEXANDER
Associated Press Writer

Marat Safin celebrated his 24th birthday with an upset win over top-ranked Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on Tuesday. Safin's 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (0), 6-4 win over Roddick was a dramatic end to a day that earlier featured drama of the wrong kind.

Defending champion Andre Agassi got his semifinal berth when ninth-seeded Sebastien Grosjean defaulted with a groin injury after losing the first set. Agassi next faces Safin in pursuit of his fifth Australian Open title and ninth Grand Slam crown.

Amelie Mauresmo, the fourth-seeded woman, didn't even start, withdrawing in tears with a torn back muscle and handing No. 32 Fabiola Zuluaga of Colombia a free pass to the semifinals.

Zuluaga will meet top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne, who ousted fifth-seeded Lindsay Davenport 7-5, 6-3. Neither was in top form, but Henin-Hardenne managed to win the big points, as she did last year when she beat Davenport 9-7 in the third set of their fourth-round match here.

Safin was unseeded, his ranking slipping to 86th after tearing ligaments in his left wrist during a first-round match at Melbourne Park last year. But no one has ever questioned his talent, and after a slow start against the 21-year-old Roddick, he showed his skills haven't eroded.

Safin Knocks Off Top-Ranked Roddick
Australian Open Glance

For nearly 3 1/2 hours, they matched ace for ace and swapped line drives in long baseline rallies.

Safin's underdog status won over much of the crowd as he came back from dropping the first set while making 18 unforced errors. But Roddick had his own fervent fans, including a trio of young men in star-adorned red, white and blue skirts and "U," "S" and "A" painted on their bare chests on a cool night.

Safin called for a trainer, who massaged the inside of his left thigh, after the first and third games of the second set, but didn't seem to be bothered afterward.

Safin broke Roddick's vaunted serve for the second time to finish off the set. Roddick fended off two set points while fighting back from 0-40, then watched as Safin's return of a 125 mph serve caught the line at his feet.

There were no break opportunities in the third set until Roddick made four errors while serving at 5-6.

Roddick evened the match by winning the fourth-set tiebreaker 7-0 as Safin suddenly got cold.

Finally, at 4-4 in the fifth set, Roddick blinked, netting a backhand at 15-30, then tapping a forehand volley into the net to hand Safin the break.

Safin fought back from 15-40 the next game, finishing off the match with a pair of forehand volley winners.

Roddick bashed his racket, bending the frame.

He left the court just before the crowd sang "Happy Birthday" to Safin, who turned 24 on Tuesday. He is 0-2 against the former top-ranked Russian.

Safin ends Roddick run

BBC

Russia's Marat Safin sent out a warning to his Australian Open rivals by defeating top seed Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals.
The 24-year-old, who has returned to the game after injury, claimed an enthralling 2-6 6-3 7-5 6-7 6-4 win.

Safin made the crucial break at 4-4 in the final set, and served out the next game to clinch the match.

The former US Open champion will now face defending champion Andre Agassi in the semi-finals.

"Roddick started really well and he's improved a lot since the last time we played," said Safin.

"He serves so good, his backhand is great and his forehand is one of the best in tennis and it is tough to hold it on the baseline with him.

"But now I am back and that is the most important thing for me."

It looked as though it would be business as usual for Roddick as he easily broke Safin in the second game and again in the sixth to stroll to the opening set 6-2.

But the world number one lost some of the psychological edge when the unseeded Russian sought advice for a thigh injury at the changeover.

Safin seemed to be energised by the apparent injury and broke Roddick in the third game with some impressive ground strokes, going on to level the match.

The crowds in Melbourne were then treated to a fast and furious display of thudding serves and intense rallies.

This time Safin had to wait until the 12th game to pounce on some rash mistakes by Roddick to steal the third set.

The match was even tighter in the fourth but the top seed used his trademark serve to great advantage storming to the tiebreaker 7-0.

A tense fifth set followed the same pattern as neither player gave the other an inch until the ninth game.

A lapse in concentration saw Roddick net a backhand at 15-40 before he tapped a forehand volley into the net to gift Safin the break.

The Russian dug deep to battle back from 15-40 in the next game before sealing the match with a pair of forehand winners.

And Safin, who left the court to choruses of 'Happy Birthday To You', had given himself the best 24th birthday present - a place in the semi-finals.

No more magic for Roddick
by Luke Buttigieg
Tuesday, January 27, 2004

Unseeded Russian Marat Safin has celebrated his 24th birthday by winning a five-set thriller to dump world No.1 and top seed Andy Roddick from Australian Open 2004, setting up a blockbuster semi-final clash with defending champion Andre Agassi in the process.

Roddick took the first set, before the momentum swung to Safin in the second and third, but after Roddick reclaimed the ascendancy in the fourth and looked to be finishing better, Safin willed himself to a 2-6 6-3 7-5 6-7 (0-7) 6-4 victory in three hours and 24 minutes.

The 2000 US Open champion is now just a win away from his second Melbourne Park final in three years, but to get there he'll have to find a way past Agassi, who was leading 6-2 2-0 when a groin injury to Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean gifted the veteran an early finish.

Safin went into the match with a 1-0 head-to-head advantage, and while he was pushed all the way, the 2002 runner-up is delighted to have made it to the semi-finals for a second time, as he climbs back up the rankings after a serious wrist injury.

"He played really well and has improved a lot since last time I played him," Safin said afterwards. "He served well, volleyed well and has a great forehand. It's tough to hold the baseline with him."

"I enjoyed my life so much I started to miss tennis. That's why I'm playing so good maybe, because I was making a great life outside of the court," he added of his lengthy spell away from the game last year.

As for his clash with Agassi, Safin joked that he is not as smart as his older opponent, who was fortunate to spend less than an hour on court against Grosjean, but is pleased to be performing so well after his period on the sidelines.

"He's a great player, and for me it will be nice to play him," Safin said. "It's going to be a great match. No matter what, I'm back. Whatever happens, happens, and I'll have some support form the public I hope."

While Roddick began in fine touch, the same couldn't be said for Safin, who took a while to find his range and committed eight unforced errors in the first four games of the match.

Roddick broke Safin in the second and sixth games to grab a 5-1 lead, and though he was unable to take the set when he served for it in the seventh game, he broke Safin for a third time in just four attempts in the eighth to get off to the flying start.

Safin looked in trouble when he called for treatment on his groin while trailing 1-0 early in the second, but the scare did little to concern him as he broke Roddick in the third and ninth games to level the match at a set all.

Worryingly for Roddick, Safin had started to make the running and was going for the lines at every opportunity, and after games went with serve for the first 11 games of the third set, Safin broke in the 12th to grab a two-sets-to-one advantage.

Both players had their chances to break in the fourth set, but neither was able to make the most of their opportunities until Roddick started the tie-breaker with a winner and then ran away with it, courtesy of several errors from Safin.

After another see-sawing battle in the first eight games of the final set, with Safin scrambling out of trouble several times, the decisive break came in the ninth game, and Safin saved a break back point in the 10th game before putting Roddick away.

Earlier in the day No.4 seed Agassi was handed an early finish and an easy progression to the semi-finals when the injury No.9 seed Grosjean suffered midway through the first set forced him to pull out.

Agassi made a brilliant start to the match, breaking Grosjean in each of his first two service games to bolt to a 4-0 lead, and after strolling through the first set and taking a 2-0 lead in the second, he was off to the showers early when Grosjean pulled out.

Having walked away with the title in his previous three starts in the Australian Open - the sequence that began in 2000 only interrupted by a wrist injury in 2002 - 33-year-old Agassi's winning streak at Melbourne Park has now reached 26 matches.

Safin knocks out No. 1
By Linda Pearce
January 28, 2004

Before the Australian Open started, Marat Safin announced that nothing less than a semi-final appearance would suffice in his grand slam comeback after a frustrating year away. At the time, it seemed wildly optimistic, almost fanciful; top seed Andy Roddick last night discovered, through an epic five-set defeat, that it was not.

Safin brought a misleading world ranking of 86th to Melbourne Park, having not won a match since April. Roddick is No. 1, and the winner of five titles in the past seven months. Still, the only figures that mattered last night were those on the scoreboard. In Safin's favour, they read: 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (0-7), 6-4, in a match played over three hours 23 minutes.

Roddick had cautioned before the match that Safin's talent had not gone away during his many months absent from the game with a wrist injury, and last night Safin proved it. Two of the game's heaviest hitters staged their version of a prize fight, and it was the Russian, celebrating his 24th birthday, who achieved what Roddick had managed in last year's fabled quarter-final against Younes El Aynaoui.

"I'm getting older and smarter," said Safin, who tomorrow night plays defending champion Andre Agassi for a place in his second Australian Open final in three years. "Let's be realistic: how many hours I spent this week on the court, (Agassi) didn't spend even half of it.

"He is a great player, and for me it will be nice for me to play with him semi-finals. It's going to be a great match for me, no matter what happens to me; I'm back, it's the most important thing for me, and I will try to make my best tennis, and whatever happens, happens."

Agassi had predicted pre-match that Safin was one of the few players capable of returning the Roddick world-best serve, to at least make him play, and so, after a sluggish start, he did. At one stage, Roddick was broken three times in the space of six games, a return that would satisfy many opponents over an entire match.

Safin missed much of 2003 after tearing the ligaments in his left wrist in the first round here last year. He started like a man who had been short of tennis and then, in a rush, had played too much. Safin, usually so combustible, wandered through the first set as if a fog had enveloped Rod Laver Arena.

But then a courtside consultation with the trainer summoned to treat groin soreness instilled some pep into Safin's step. He held, broke, held, then threatened again, and a second break confirmed the second set 6-3.

Roddick had not lost a set in his previous four rounds, and has opened with a 6-2 score in all five, but nor had he played an opponent quite like this one. Forget the current ranking, and think about the top spot Safin owned briefly in late 2000, and has vowed to reclaim by the end of the year. Forget the Crazy Russian jokes and think about the fact that, in the words of Roger Federer, "He's got a lot of things in his game which can make him a great, great player, and this is for me talent".

Safin outserved Roddick, 19 aces to 18, and hit 60 winners to 50. He is a physical match for Roddick, and also outlasted him last night, despite a longer and more gruelling lead-in, and doubts over his ability to last the distance after a deflating 0-7 effort in the fourth set tie-breaker.

But Safin duly broke in the ninth game of the fifth, and saved two break chances before serving out a remarkable victory.

The pair had met only once before, in Los Angeles in 2001, when the rising Roddick played the risen Russian, the reigning United States Open champion, and lost in straight sets. Roddick is now No. 1, while Safin is starting the long haul back - with a new, improved, attitude, he insists, although we have all heard that before.

But the evidence is starting to become compelling, and perhaps the fact that Safin's comical blonde entourage of 2002 now contains his mother and childhood coach, Rausa Islanova, is an indication of some newfound stability. Now for Agassi, who clearly shares a mutual respect.

"Big serve. That worries me," Agassi said. "Six (foot) five always tends to worry me a little bit. Monster serve is a bit concerning, as well as a backhand that he can crush both directions. And the fact that he moves well is a bit unsettling."

Top-Ranked Roddick Loses at Australian Open
By CHRISTOPHER CLAREY

Published: January 28, 2004

MELBOURNE, Australia— There was less than an hour left to Marat Safin's 24th birthday, and the crowd at Melbourne Park was serenading him with the obvious song. But Safin had already given himself the right present for a young tennis-playing millionaire who has everything: a victory over the world's No. 1 player.

In a quarterfinal match on Tuesday night that was the tennis equivalent of a heavyweight bout, the huge-serving and athletic Safin barely got the best of the huge-serving and athletic Andy Roddick, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (0),6-4.

"I can't ask for anything else," Safin said. "It's probably the best birthday I ever had."

Safin's birthdays have not always been so festive in Melbourne. Two years ago, he turned 22 on the day of the Australian Open final and was upset by Thomas Johansson. He has experienced plenty of pain since then, tearing a ligament in his left wrist here last year, which forced him to withdraw from the tournament and which spoiled his season.

Yet despite struggling when he returned to the circuit at the end of 2003 and despite arriving in Melbourne ranked a lowly 86th and despite fears that the sport might have passed him by, his peers were still wary of Safin, a rangy Russian who walks with a longshoreman's swagger but becomes a sleek and graceful whippet as soon as there is a tennis ball to be chased down.

As it turned out, the opposition was right to be concerned. Safin has slowly hustled and muscled his way through the draw, breaking serves and wills with his rare blend of power and speed. He has been particularly dismissive of Americans, beating Brian Vahaly in the first round, Todd Martin in five intense sets in the third round, James Blake in the fourth round and now Roddick in one of the finest, most composed performances of Safin's uneven career.

"He's got one more American to go," said the United States Davis Cup captain, Patrick McEnroe, still shaking his head about the quality of what he had witnessed.

That would be Andre Agassi, the defending champion, who has not lost a match in Melbourne since 1999 and who had to win only one set in his quarterfinal on Tuesday against No. 9-seeded Sébastien Grosjean of France before Grosjean retired with a strained right groin muscle.

At 33, it never hurts to conserve energy, and the fourth-seeded Agassi now has an excellent chance of feeling fresher than Safin when they play Thursday night for the first time in more than three years. Safin has spent more than twice as much time on court in his five victories as Agassi, who has yet to lose a set.

"I could feel much better," Safin said. "But it's O.K. I'm still young. It's not like I'm getting old, but I will have to be really fresh against Andre if I want to have a chance to beat him."

The ticket to have Tuesday was for the night session. Rarely have two men generated so much pace and so many gasps from the stands over five sets as Roddick and Safin. It was a slugfest between a former United States Open champion and the reigning United States Open champion, yet it featured much more than slugging. There were also neatly constructed rallies, timely topspin lobs, one spectacular diving volley and routinely terrific end-to-end defense as the combatants took turns tracking down each other's bolts.

As they took turns holding serve in the fifth, there were increasing glimmers of recognition in the stands, and one man held up a sign that read "22-20."

But it did not go that long, and in the end, Roddick was jogging to the net to wish his opponent a happy birthday.

Thanks to Safin, Roddick will lose the No. 1 ranking after this tournament to either Roger Federer or Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Safin bounces back to his best
By John Barrett in Melbourne
Published: January 27 2004

A tournament short on shocks burst into life on Tuesday when world number one Andy Roddick was beaten 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-7, 6-4 in five furious sets by Russia's Marat Safin, himself a former number one but, after an injury-affected 2003, ranked 86 in the world.

It was a compelling battle that warmed the heart on a chill Melbourne evening and set up a semi-final on Thursday between Safin and defending champion Andre Agassi, who went through after his opponent Sebastien Grosjean retired injured when 6-2, 2-0 down.

Labelled the battle of the giants, the quarter-final between the top seeded Roddick and the unseeded Russian fully lived up to expectations.

Those packed into the Rod Laver Arena were treated to a wonderful exhibition of controlled aggression from both men. That Roddick was in top gear was no surprise. He had ended a spectacular year marginally ahead of Roger Federer and Juan Carlos Ferrero on top of the world rankings. Safin, in contrast, had suffered a wrist injury in May that had kept him off court for nine weeks and forced him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon.

The big Russian, still short of match play, lost the opening set quickly. But eyes blazing with competitive fire, he swept through the second set in 40 minutes and that after a groin injury threatened to halt him at the start of the set.

For the first time at these championships Roddick was facing a man who hit as hard as he did - sometimes even harder - and he was forced to give ground. So well were both players serving, so fiercely were they hitting their winners from mid-court in the third set, that neither man held a break point until the 12th game. Two Roddick errors opened the door for Safin, who forced two more errors from the American to take the set.

Roddick made sure of his six service games in the fourth set and ran through the tie break 7-0. At this stage Safin appeared to be wilting, hardly surprising considering he had spent 13 hours 43 minutes on court in beating Brian Vahaly, Jarkko Nieminen, Todd Martin and James Blake to reach the quarter-finals. Roddick's four wins, in contrast, had lasted a mere seven hours 50 minutes.

But any hint of fatigue was illusory. So well did Safin bounce back that Roddick had only one chance to break. Trailing 1-2, 30-40 the Russian pounded down a serve at 209 kph to save the situation. Five games later it was Roddick's turn to face the test. Tightening visibly, he netted a backhand approach to go down 0-30, forced an error from Safin for 15-30 but put another backhand into the net and then missed a forehand volley to lose his serve and go 5-4 down.

Safin strode to the chair with memories of his run to the final in 2002 still fresh in his mind. Thomas Johansson had beaten him that day but he was not about to let this chance for glory slip through his fingers. Even when Roddick had him at 15-40, he looked confident. A 19th ace saved the first break point and a fierce serve forced the American to miss on the second. Charging forward he buried a smash to produce match point and came in to bury a forehand volley to clinch it. The match had lasted three hours 23 minutes.

On this form Safin will approach his meeting with Agassi full of confidence, despite a 1-3 career record against him. The American has not yet faced a serious challenge in the tournament.

"Let's be realistic," said Safin of Thursday's semi-final. "How many hours have I spent this week on the court? He [Agassi] didn't spend even half of it. He is a great player and for me it will be nice to play with him in a semi-final. I am back, that is the most important thing for me, I will try and play my best tennis and see what happens."

Gamewatch: Roddick v Safin

(BBC)

All the action as Russia's Marat Safin defeats top-seeded American Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
Final score: Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 4-6 Safin

Fifth set

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 4-6 Safin
The world number one is keen to fight back and lashes the ball right into the corner at 0-15. Safin replies with a thudding serve but Roddick gets his chance as he moves to 15-40. Another ace by Safin saves the first break point and Roddick fails to return the ball to take the game to deuce.

Safin follows up a lightning serve with a smash to move to advantage and attacks at the net to easily seal the point and the match.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 4-5 Safin
Safin races to the middle of the court to steal the first point of the game and Roddick rushes his return, sending the ball crashing into the net at 0-30. The American again struggles to deal with a rasping return of serve as Safin gets a chance at 15-40. The Russian grabs the crucial break as the American again falls to send the ball over.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 4-4 Safin
The American strikes a stunning backhand winner down the line at 30-15 but Safin does not concede another and seals the game with a smooth two-handed cross court volley.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 4-3 Safin
Things are easier for the world number one as he relies on his powerful serve to take him to 30-0. Safin snatches a point back with a passing shot and is gifted another at 40-30 when Roddick carelessly pushes the ball into the net. A big second serve from the American sees him hold.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 3-3 Safin
The Russian is being made to work really hard and has to stay focused during long rallies to grab a crucial love game.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 3-2 Safin
The top seed does not look as vulnerable on his service game and drops only one point.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 2-2 Safin
A double fault from Safin and a sloppy forehand let the American in at 15-30. The Russian mis-hits the ball after it bounces off the top of the net at 30-40 but Roddick cannot get the break. Safin trades shots with the world number one and comes into the net to take advantage but another error takes him back to deuce.

The Russian delivers his 17th ace and Roddick shoots long to hand Safin the game.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 2-1 Safin
The Russian tries to energise himself but when faced with another series of thudding serves he is unable to grab more than a point from the Roddick game.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 1-1 Safin
Safin has mixed fortunes at the net - deftly dropping the ball over, skewing another volley long - at 15-15. The Russian moves in to the net again to slice down the ball at 40-30 but Roddick delivers a backhand pass to force deuce.

The American bounces down his racket when an unforced error hands Safin advantage and the Russian endures a gruelling game to hold.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) 1-0 Safin
The world number one's physical strength could be a telling factor in the fifth set against Safin who is still on the comeback trail from injury. The signs looks ominous as Roddick powers to a love game.

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Fourth set

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-0) Safin
Roddick steals the first mini-break in the breaker and quickly goes 3-0 up. The Russian dumps the ball into the net and he misses a smash to hand Roddick a 5-0 lead. Safin looks tired and a misplaced lob hands the American six set points. The American delivers a powerful serve to easily wrap-up the breaker after two hours and 40 minutes of play.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 6-6 Safin
Two errors by Safin and a 130mph ace move Roddick to 40-0. The world number one concedes two points to his opponent but he holds to set up the first tie-break of the match.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 5-6 Safin
Safin follows suit and places his volleys perfectly to edge 30-0 ahead. But he hands Roddick two points when a couple of drop shots fall short of the net. The Russian delivers his 16th ace and this time safely drops the ball over the net to hold.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 5-5 Safin
Roddick again comes to the net to stifle Safin's challenge and with the help of his 15th ace he holds with ease.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 4-5 Safin
Roddick slides around the court to beat Safin with a wonderful slice at 15-15 but Safin answers with a pair of quick-fire aces to move to 40-15. The Russian makes some unforced errors to be taken to deuce for the first time in the match. The American searches for the break but Safin's powerful serve sees him through.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 4-4 Safin
The world number one is clearly energised by his frustration and lashes down two aces. Roddick is fighting back and serves up a love game.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 3-4 Safin
Safin shows he can be just as dominant when it comes to serving and races to 40-0 - despite a controversial line call on the third point. Roddick returns to his seat complaining but he can find no answer on court to Safin.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 3-3 Safin
The American delivers his 11th ace at 15-15 and then fires down another mighty serves at 40-15. The world number one digs deep to hold to 30.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 2-3 Safin
The physical encounter continues as both players trade in powerful forehands. Safin moves to 40-15 with a rasping shot which leaves Roddick grasping at the air and the Russian holds.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 2-2 Safin
The American looks jittery as Safin hussles him at the net to move to 30-30 and he skids the ball out to hand the Russian a break point. Safin dives spectacularly at the net to try and steal the point from the American's pass but Roddick volleys to go to deuce.

Safin earns a second deuce but Roddick moves in at the net to make a crucial hold.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 1-2 Safin
The Russian shouts at himself as a double fault gifts Roddick the first point. But Safin snaps a forehand down the line for 15-15, drops the ball neatly over the net at 30-15, delivers a powerful cross court backhand and directs the ball into the corner to hold.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 1-1 Safin
This time it is Safin's turn to make simple mistakes and his inaccuracy moves Roddick to 40-0 and the American holds to 15.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 0-1 Safin
A new shirt does not help Roddick as two unforced errors put Safin 30-0 up. The Russian concedes a point to the top seed with a double fault but he wraps up the game with some neat work at the net.

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Third set

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-7 Safin
A lucky bounce off the net sees Safin snatch the first point and then he is handed the second as Roddick sprays the ball into the stands. The American snatches at the ball again to let Safin in again at 15-40 and Roddick dumps the ball into the net to hand the Russian a two-set lead.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-6 Safin
Safin relies on his powerful serve to move to 30-0 but a lack of accuracy with his groundstrokes lets Roddick in at 30-30. The Russian makes Roddick chase around the court and beats him with a lob at 40-30 before holding with a smash on the run.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 5-5 Safin
Safin applies the pressure to Roddick's forehand and snatches the first point but he dumps the ball in the net at 15-15. The Russian shows his anger as he struggles to wear down Roddick who holds to 15.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 4-5 Safin
The Russian answers Roddick by notching up his ninth ace as he wraps up his service game to love.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 4-4 Safin
More business as usual for Roddick as he races to 40-0. The American slices the ball out of court to hand Safin a single point but that is all he will get in this game.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 3-4 Safin
The momentum of the match continues to swing in the top seed's favour as he moves to 0-30. He hands one point back to the Russian as he scuffs the ball into the net and the Russian slices a forehand across the court at 30-30. Safin rescues the game with another ace.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 3-3 Safin
The top seed looks back to form as he fires down his seventh ace to hold to love.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 2-3 Safin
Roddick decides to attack at the net and it pays off as he wins the first point but an ace from Safin gets things back on level terms. A deft backhand volley at the net, another clean ace and a lob seal the game for the Russian.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 2-2 Safin
The tempo dips just a bit as both players take a breather and Safin swishes the ball well out of the court to hand Roddick the game to love.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 1-2 Safin
Another intense rally opens the third game of the set and the American just sneaks the point. Both players whip the ball across the court with great movement and speed but Roddick succumbs first, putting the ball in the net at 30-15. Ace number four rounds off the game for Safin.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 1-1 Safin
Safin produces a superb backhand half-volley at the net at 15-15. The Russian answers Roddick's smash but it is just out and Roddick takes the game.

Roddick 6-2 3-6 0-1 Safin
There is no let up in Safin's game as he swiftly moves to 30-0, getting the benefit of a few tight line calls. Roddick steals back two points but the Russian seals the game with a stinging serve.

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Second set

Roddick 6-2 3-6 Safin
Safin takes first blood in another fierce baseline rally and Roddick bangs down his racket as he slips to 0-30. The Russian gets behind a forehand to earn his third set point. The American uses his serve to rescue two points but Safin gets the match back on level terms.

Roddick 6-2 3-5 Safin
The world number one is struggling to make an impression on Safin's serve and the Russian wins the rallies easily to take the game to love as Roddick vocally vents his frustration.

Roddick 6-2 3-4 Safin
The fast pace of the match continues as Roddick moves to 40-0. The American wraps up the match to 15 with a 126mph serve.

Roddick 6-2 2-4 Safin
The Russian produces a curving forehand down the line at 30-15 and whips the ball across court to kill off the rally at 40-15. Safin holds impressively with all injury doubts behind him.

Roddick 6-2 2-3 Safin
Safin appears to have rattled Roddick as he concedes the first point of his service game. Another unforced error on his forehand and an uncharacteristic double fault from the world number one lets Safin in at 15-40. The American pulls out his reliable big serve to rescue the game.

Roddick 6-2 1-3 Safin
Safin seems determined to put the injury to the back of his mind and confidently holds to 30.

Roddick 6-2 1-2 Safin
A real physical battle is shaping up between the two players in Melbourne and Safin fires the ball past Roddick to within sight of a break point. The Russian shows great hands again, chipping a half-volley over the net to take advantage. Safin makes Roddick work hard and is enthusiastically applauded as he breaks the American.

Roddick 6-2 1-1 Safin
Safin moves to the net and goes to 15-0 after an 18-stroke rally but he starts to show his frustration when he shoves the ball into the net at 15-15. Another exciting rally ends disappointingly as Safin again dumps the ball into the net at 15-30. But the Russian saves the game as Roddick makes some unforced errors.

Roddick 6-2 1-0 Safin
Roddick quickly notches up his second straight game to love while Safin appears to be having some difficulty moving around the court as he struggles with a thigh injury. The Russian calls for the trainer.

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First set
Roddick 6-2 Safin
Safin double faults at 0-15 and then makes an unforced error to send Roddick to 0-30. The American makes it three set points with a rasping forehand down the line before breaking the Russian to love and sealing the first set in 26 minutes.

Roddick 5-2 Safin
The Russian, ranked 86th in the world, takes the American to 0-40 as Roddick's accuracy deserts him. The American recovers one point with a slick forehand but Safin cannot be prevented from earning his first break.

Roddick 5-1 Safin
The American challenges Safin in some blistering rallies and carves out a chance at 15-30. He moves to 30-40 with a deft lob as the Russian is stranded at the net before easily snatching a second break.

Roddick 4-1 Safin
Roddick loses his first point at 0-15 when he fires his forehand long in a furious rally. Safin is let in at 15-30 as the American's attempted volley just falls outside the tramlines. It is encouraging for the Russian as he takes the top seed to deuce but he cannot grab the break.

Roddick 3-1 Safin
Safin shifts his tactics, slowing down his serve to try and take advantage of Roddick's weaker backhand. The nerves show as he produces another double fault but he recovers with some good work at the net to take his first game 40-15.

Roddick 3-0 Safin
The world number one gallops to the first three games without dropping a point.

Roddick 2-0 Safin
Safin is immediately made to work as Roddickengages him in some cross-court rallies. An ace takes the Russian to 30-15 but a rare double fault lets the American in.

Some slick forehands from Roddick give him the early break and a useful 2-0 lead.

Roddick 1-0 Safin
Roddick is the first to serve in what is expected to be a big-serving encounter and he already clocks 130mph as he wraps up the first game to love.