Press Conference with MARAT SAFIN

Safin – Grosjean 7:6 (6), 7:5

Q: I guess it was nice to get that one in straight sets?

SAFIN: Yes, these are the kind of matches which you have to finish in two sets and make them really short.

Q: Is he a frustrating player to come up against?

SAFIN: No, but he hits the ball very well. It’s just a pain in the arse to … It’s a nightmare to stay in this kind of tennis. Just, it could go the other way round.

Q: You were down 5:2 in the first and then 5: 1 in the tiebreak. How do you think you managed to come back?

SAFIN: I thought I’ll just do it. I decided that if I win or if I lose this set it doesn’t matter. I played some fast points, I was lucky and put the first serve in. He missed some easy balls and I came back. I don’t know why. He should have won the first set.

Q: Are you happy with your performance today?

A. Yes, for me it was great. I was lucky I stayed there. I had to do my best.

Q: How do you feel on clay so far?

SAFIN: I had a couple of great tournaments. Monte Carlo, Estoril went really well. Then Rome against Massu, he’s a great player. I played a terrible match and lost completely my confidence. Now, I have to gain my confidence back by winning this kind of matches.

Q: Do you think Grosjean is far from his good level?

SAFIN: You always have a couple of ups and downs through the year. He doesn’t play well, but for sure he will go up. Probably in the French Open. He will have one really tough match, he will win it and then he will play well. He just needs some confidence and the only way to gain it is this kind of matches, like against me. It’s just play ugly, win ugly (laughs).

Q: Could you say the same about yourself?

SAFIN: Yes, I’m there. Winning ugly.

Q: Didn’t your standard go up though in the second half of that first set?

SAFIN: Well, I couldn’t do, but I didn’t want to lose. I saw that he wasn’t playing really well. And he was also struggling. He was making some abnormal mistakes. So, I thought if I hang in there, I will have my chance.

Q: Can you tell us something about your work with Peter?

SAFIN: It’s a little early. We’ve just been together for two weeks. We started in Rome. We have to get to know each other, but it’s going well – slowly but surely. To make sure that we understand each other, that I don’t bother him, he doesn’t bother me and by knowing what kind of person he is and what kind of person I am. Then we can do something and wait for the results. We plan to work until Wimbledon. We have goals and if we are comfortable with each other and there are results, we carry on.

Q: So you won’t have to pay him a 150$ fine for every smashed racket?

SAFIN: No, he doesn’t work like that (laughs).