The Russian's love of the high life is matched only by his love for tennis -- but now he knows something must give.

The tortured Tartar has realised it is time to calm down and move on if he is to fight his way back from an unflattering world number 77 to the number one spot his talent deserves.

A frustrating year spent on the sidelines nursing injuries gave the 23-year-old plenty of time to reflect on a short career during which he has scaled the heights and scraped the barrel.

"I've had a lot of time to think about my life," he said in Perth, revealing a new year's resolution centred on shunning the spotlight and hitting the courts.

"I have a lot of people around me and I talked about everything," he said of those dark months where a series of injuries kept him out of the game in 2003.

"I had a lot of questions about my life, about my professional life and how I should do everything possible to get wherever I want to be.

"I had people direct me and give me some great advice."

That sound advice has been a long time coming.

One of the most exciting players in the world, the Russian has often suffered from less-than-sound advice as he has lurched round the circuit.

His sublime demolition of Pete Sampras to win the U.S. Open in 2001 was in stark contrast to the 2002 Australian Open final when Safin spent more time smiling at the group of "blondies" cheering him from his private box.

"GETTING OLDER"

That he lost to Thomas Johansson was no great shock, such were the distractions surrounding his camp for the fortnight. It was a disappointing way to mark his birthday.

Not for the first time were questions asked about his commitment and level of effort in the match.

In 2000, the youngster was fined by Australian Open officials for "tanking" -- deliberately throwing a match or not trying his best against South African Grant Stafford in the first round.

It was a shameful episode and one for which he apologised 12 months later.

Concentration and keeping his head up has always been a problem -- something he is coming to terms with.

"I'm growing ... getting older," he said.

"Basically something has to change because it has been for many years a problem. I couldn't concentrate, I was getting frustrated during matches and was giving up many times in many matches.

"I have finally understood, at the age of 23, becoming 24, that is not the way I should treat myself on court.

"Because the match is still going I should at least try. Try and try and if it's not working it's no big deal. That's one of my goals for the year."

Certainly the Russian has set heady goals for himself.

"I decided to come back strong -- I really want to be number one in the world at the end of the year.

"I really hope that I will be lucky in Australia. "I'm really looking forward to doing well. I'm not talking about quarter-finals, semi-finals ... I am talking about finals."

Marat Safin is, in his own words, growing old, yet with age comes maturity, and that spells danger for opponents of the powerful Russian, who has set his sights on regaining the world number one ranking in men's tennis by the end of the year.

Currently competing in the Hopman Cup mixed-teams tournament in Perth, Safin outlined just how he planned to haul himself back from his current world ranking of 77.

Unable to compete for five months last year because of a chronic wrist injury, Safin has had time to contemplate his career and his outlook.

"... I had enough time to think about my life - about my professional life - and I put some goals to myself. Try to be more focussed ... and I'm working on that and I'm getting much better," he said.

"So I decided to come in and play, to come back strong and prepare myself, and I really want to be the number one in the world at the end of this year.

"I did everything that's possible to prepare myself, so basically it has to work - it has to go the way I planned.

Safin has always attracted controversy wherever he goes - his unpredictable on-court temperament, the seemingly-endless streams of beautiful women who accompany him almost everywhere.

But the new, more mature Safin, believes it's time to shed at least some of the impetuous trappings of youth.

"I'm getting older. I'm going to be 24, so basically something has to change ... it was my problem. I couldn't really concentrate and I was getting frustrated at some point during the match and I was giving up.

"So I understood ... that it's not the way I should treat myself and suffer on court ... because the match is still going and I should at least try. That's one of my goals for this year."

Safin, who rose to world number one when he smashed Pete Sampras in the 2000 US Open final, had not been out of the top 50 players since 1997 prior to his injury.

On court in the Hopman Cup against Santoro, who had previously held a 7-1 win-loss record over him, he displayed a calmer-than-usual demeanour, while his big serve and physical fitness were apparent.

"This is my first match and it's difficult to say if I'm going to be great or not, " he said.

"But the way I see things ... I beat him quite easily today even if it was the first match ... so it's quite a lot of confidence for me."

But Safin almost didn't make it to the Hopman Cup - after one of his two passports with his Australian visa was stolen.

Safin called tournament director Paul McNamee to write a letter on his behalf and to help make alternative arrangements.