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Marat Safin: The wonder boy of tennis roars back
By Ayo Ositelu
The annual long drawn, season-long and 10-month ATP Tennis Masters Series events came to an exciting end in Paris yesterday, leading to the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, Texas. In this piece, our man, AYO OSITELU, a world renowned tennis writer, who covered the Paris event, focuses on the extravagantly gifted but underachieving Marat Safin of Russia, winner in Madrid and Paris, and asks: Is this the man who will topple world number one Roger Federer?
NO matter the outcome of the BNP Paribas Tennis Masters Series on the indoor courts of the Palais Omnisports de Paris, Bercy, it is clear that Russia's mercurial 24 year-old Marat Safin has decided to get rid of all the habits which have bedevilled his game thus preventing him from taking his rightful place in the sport. From his performances and results of the recent past, it appears the extravagantly gifted Russian has decided at last to prove his real worth in the game.
Exactly two weeks after decimating one of the toughest men's singles draws by winning the Madrid Tennis Masters Series event without losing a set, Safin took his place in the final of the second straight Tennis Masters Series event in Paris after outhitting Argentina's Guillermo Canas in two straight sets 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) in Saturday's semi-final.
In Sunday's final, Safin defeated Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-6(7-5), 6-3 to become only the second player this season to win back-to-back ATP Masters Series events other than world number one Roger Federer, who won on the clay courts of Hamburg and the hard court of Toronto a week later.
His victory yesterday also made him the only other player to have won more than one Tennis Masters Series event this year. Only Federer has won more than one, after winning at Indian Wells in California, Hamburg, and Toronto, then adding three Grand Slam events (Australian Open, Wimbledon, US Open) and four other ATP tour events. In so doing, he qualified for the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup faster than any other player in history. While some players only booked their places in the Tennis Masters Cup just last week, Federer's place had been assured since August.
Not even Federer could believe what he has achieved this year, and the fact that he is so far above any other player this season, is to him "absolutely incredible." He (Federer) leads his nearest challenger on the computer rankings, by a whopping 3,200 points, while he is also way above any other player in the champions' race.
However, in the view of many of the world's experts and renowned coaches, the commanding, almost untouchable position Federer has found himself is exactly what they had predicted for Marat Safin ever since he burst into the world's consciousness in 1997, the year he began his professional career. Obviously, Safin showed a promise towards achieving great feats earlier that Federer.
Incidentally, it was the same player both Safin and Federer had used as "guinea pig" to announce their arrival into the big time. It was in June 2001 at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London that Federer announced his arrival when he caused one of the biggest upsets in the history of Wimbledon by beating the eminent defending champion, Pete Sampras of the United States in four sets.
Since that shocking ouster, the great Pete Sampras would not win another Wimbledon Singles title to add to the six he had won in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998 and 1999. If the rookie Federer's victory over Sampras provided a shock to many a Wimbledon faithful, Safin's feat of bearding the "lion" in his own den, at New York's Flushing Meadow in the final of the US Open the year before, was the stuff miracles were made of.
Safin, with his twentieth birthday still ahead of him, did not just defeat Sampras in that year's US Open final in 2000. He destroyed him incredibly easily, with the legend (Sampras) not winning more than five games in one of the most one-sided finals in human memory. With such ill treatment of arguably the greatest player who ever lived, nobody could realistically predict that the great one would come back to win the US Open title in 2002, especially after another youngster, Lleyton Hewitt of Australia did his own lopsided number on Sampras in the 2001 US Open final.
In spite of his surprise victory over Sampras at Wimbledon, Federer was still trying to find his feet when Safin ended the year 2001 ranked world number two after actually claiming the world number one status ever so briefly. Even after slipping to world number eleven in 2001, the Russian rose to the year-end world number three in the year 2002.
It was last year that the "devil" in Safin's game which prevented him from fulfilling the huge promise he had earlier shown resurfaced. The constant incursion of this "devil" is perhaps the only reason why some experts were not too sure if Safin might be able to reach the height of his potential. It was becoming common knowledge that the young Russian's terrible temperament, especially when things were not going well in the early stages of matches, was his achilles' heel.
He had earned the unenviable reputation of breaking more than fifty racquets in six months at the rate of two per match. He argued with umpires, but unlike American John McEnroe whose game was not affected negatively by his tantrums, Safin's game went to pieces on resumption of play after such tantrums, insults hurled at match officials and deliberate breaking of racquets. In one word, indiscipline, in different forms, was the bane debarring Safin's expected development.
Many also cited the disadvantage of winning a Grand Slam event (the only slam in his trophy case) too early in his career. According to them, Safin probably did not see the need to devote six hours everyday to physical training and work-outs, more hours on stroke perfection and shot selection if he could win a Grand Slam in spite of dodging practice hours and night clubbing anywhere he played on the ATP tour.
Of course, everything has its reward, and while less gifted but disciplined youngsters were climbing the rankings ladder and winning titles, including Grand Slam events, Safin's form dipped so much last year that he ended the year as world number 66. It was probably at this stage that he came back to his senses, and like the Biblical "prodigal son," he came back fully to his real calling, which, as he must have found out, is not complete without personal discipline, self restraint, and self denial of some good things of life which do not necessarily conform with acceptable behaviour expected of ambitious athletes.
To be fair, injuries also played a part in the slow rise back to the position where the enormously gifted Russian belongs - at the very top of the sport.
The experts have always agreed on one thing when Safin is the topic. When he is healthy on court, he is blessed with so much natural ability, power and precision in his shots, coupled with an intelligent choice of shots (he has all the shots in the book), that he can beat anyone in the world on his day. But even those experts are the first to agree that on his bad day, he can be so awful, that he can lose to anybody. Well, to anybody in his class, that is.
In the considered opinion of The Guardian's Akpo Esajere, "anyone who is a heart patient should not make it a habit to watch Safin. On his day, he would give you immense joy in one match, and subject you to sheer agony or an unwanted heart-ache in the next."
This is a man who is capable of winning on every surface, and winning the US Open on hard court, and reaching the final of the Australian Open and the French Open clearly lends credence to that assessment. But his performance may largely depend on which side of the bed he woke up.
Fortunately, for his supporters all over the world, Safin has become a "born-again" and in consequence, is a more disciplined player who is ready to submit himself to any requirements which could aid his expected climb to the pinnacle of the sport.
Perhaps he is becoming embarrassed that he has fallen far short of his fans' huge expectation. Being number six in the world, and having made a cool $10.1 million in prize money already in his young career ($1.5 million made this year alone), and more than $25 million in products endorsements, and exhibition matches etc cannot be described as a failure by any stretch of imagination. Perhaps he has finally realised that accomplishment is not necessarily about how much you have in our bank account, but titles and more Grand Slams in pursuit of the seemingly unbreakable record of 14 Grand Slam events held by the retired Pete Sampras. It is also about trying to become the next man to win the Grand Slam sweep since Australia's Rod Laver won the second of his two Grand Slam Slam sweeps in 1969.
To the uninitiated, the Grand Slam sweep is winning all the four Grand Slam events (i.e. Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open) in one calendar year.
Perhaps he feels ashamed that he has not fully utilised his enormous talent, complete with such a huge arsenal of shots, and natural athletic endowments (he is 6 feet 3 inches tall). Noting that he won a Grand slam title before the likes of Switzerland's Roger Federer, Australian Lleyton Hewitt, and American Andy Roddick won their first Slam, perhaps Safin has finally come to a realisation that it should be him up there and not any of those three.
For the records, since Safin won the US Open in September 2000, Hewitt has won the US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon in July 2002; Andy Roddick won the US Open in 2003; Federer has won four of the last six Grand Slam events, namely Wimbledon 2003, Australian Open 2004, French Open 2004 and US Open 2004. In that period, Hewitt had won the Tennis Masters Cup back-to-back in 2001 and 2002, while Federer won it last year, and is threatening to win it again in Houston, Texas in a fortnight.
Safin has not had a bad year after he lost to Federer in the final of this year's Australian Open in January. Unfortunately, shoulder injuries sidelined him for much of this tennis season, as one come back after another hampered his progress. Once fit again, he signed on a new coach, Peter Lundgren, Federer's former coach, indeed the only coach Federer has known since his amateur days until they agreed amicably to part ways at the end of last year. Federer has not been coached by anyone since then, and with the incredible year the Swiss Master is enjoying since January, who needs a coach?
From the transformation which has been evident in Safin's game of late, the vast improvement in his on-court temperament, and his recent tournament results, who does not need a coach like Peter Lundgren?
Two weeks ago in Madrid, Safin was virtually unstoppable, untouchable, and unplayable, even for the rejunivated and reinvigorated American Andre Agassi, who must have liked his chances in the semi-final judging by the way he was hitting the ball and had not lost a set until the semi-final where Safin was waiting.
The eagerly anticipated semi-final lived to its billing alright, but in spite of a near error-free display in the first set by Agassi, who hit only seven unforced errors, the American lost it 6-3. It was more of the same in the second set which went to a tie-break that Safin won 7-4. The Madrid final was no contest as Safin closed out the best-of-five match in straight sets 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 after never being in danger throughout the contest.
Safin then travelled back home to take part in an ATP tour event in St. Petersburg Open in Moscow, Russia where he lost in the early rounds to Frenchman Michael Llodra, and it was left to fellow countryman Mikhail Youshny to take up the slack and win the tournament after spanking Stefan Beck of Austria 6-2, 6-2 in the final.
Youzhny's victory could only serve as a consolation for the St. Petersbourg disappointment, but Safin's early ousting could well have been a result of jet lag. Or was Safin's inconsistent and unpredictable form rearing its ugly head once again? Whatever it was, the new Safin needed only a few days to forget about the temporary let-down to focus on the last stop in the 9-stop ATP Tennis Masters Series event in Paris.
Although his qualification for the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup was made easier when Andre Agassi and Argentina's David Nalbandian pulled out with injuries, Safin realised that he needed a decent showing in Paris to serve as the needed momentum to challenge for the prestigious Masters Cup contested by the top eight players in this world.
In Paris, Safin recaptured the form with which he destroyed the Madrid field, especially after an initial hiccup against Romania's Ivan Ljubicic whom he outlasted 6-7, 6-3, 7-6. He had since not lost a set en route the final. His other victims were Robin Metzer whom he beat 6-2, 7-5, and in a spectacular quarter-final match against Australia's Lleyton Hewitt or "a battle of former US Open champions" Safin displayed such range of shots so outrageously sweet and brilliant that he reduced the Australian to laughter. One guesses that Hewitt, out of frustration and helplessness must have asked himself, "now, what do you do to a man who is playing like this?"
Hewitt was out of the way outslugged and outthought 6-4, 7-6 and in the semi-final, in spite of an ankle injury in the second game of the match, Safin turned back the fierce challenge of Guillermo Canas 6-2, 7-6 to berth in Sunday's final against the Czech Republic's Radek Stepanek. The Czech had come back from one set deficit to defeat Max Mirnyi 3-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4.
The unseeded 25 year-old Stepanek, ranked number 66 in the world was also very impressive on his way to the final after having defeated Frenchman, Michael Llodra 7-6, 6-1, Hanescu of Romania 6-4, 6-1, American Vince Spadea 6-2, 6-3, Russia's Mikhail Youzhny 7-6, 6-3, and Max Mirnyi of Belarus (Andy Roddick's conqueror) in the exciting 132-minute semi-final on Saturday.
In the first set of Sunday's final, Safin surged ahead in the opening set of the best-of-five sets match by breaking Stepanek in the fourth game to led 3-1 before racing to a 6-3 win.
Stepanek made a fight of it in the second set which went all the way until Safin pulled his "magic" to come back from 4-5 to win the tie-break at 7-5. Safin had broken the Czech in the third game to lead 2-1, and when he took a 30-0 lead on his own serve, the signs were ominous that the Russian was racing away to an easy day in the "office."
Undaunted, Stepanek broke right back for 2-2 and then took a 40-lead on his next serve. Worried by a back hand pass which would not go over for a winner, there were devilish signs as Safin banged his racquet heavily on the court in frustration. But after losing seven points in a row, Safin came back to save two break points at 15-40 before winning the game with a crushing ace down the T.
There were no more service breaks until the set was decided by a pulsating tie-break.
Now leading by two sets, Safin was not about to release his grip on the gallant warrior from the Czech Republic, who had nothing to apologise for on account of his contribution to a very good final. Safin led 5-3 in the third set, and then needed to ward off a spirited effort by the Czech before registering a popular victory after saving one break point.
Looking back, Safin must be happy with his output during the week, fittingly climaxed by a superlative performance in the final where he served 16 aces, and hit 38 winners against a stingy 18 unforced errors.
With his 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 victory, Safin has made a grand entry to the Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, Texas next week.
This victory, his second consecutive victory indoors, his second successive ATP Tennis Masters Series title, and the fifth Masters Series title of his career, is what the Russian needed to send a warning to all other Houston-bound players, including the undisputed world number one, Roger Federer. The message which he said loud and clear in Madrid and now in Paris is simple.
"I'm back to my very best
come and get me."
But some are still not sure which Safin would show up in Houston. Will it be the focussed and sweet swinging Safin able to direct the ball anywhere he wishes with brutal power and incredible precision? Or will it be the Safin many dread to see, throwing and breaking racquets in frustration at the first sign of trouble?
Not even Peter Lundgren can answer those nagging questions. Only Safin can.`
In Paris, Safin recaptured the form with which he destroyed the Madrid field, especially after an initial hiccup against Romania's Ivan Ljubicic whom he outlasted 6-7, 6-3, 7-6. He had since not lost a set en route the final. His other victims were Robin Metzer whom he beat 6-2, 7-5, and in a spectacular quarter-final match against Australia's Lleyton Hewitt or "a battle of former US Open champions" Safin displayed such range of shots so outrageously sweet and brilliant that he reduced the Australian to laughter. One guesses that Hewitt, out of frustration and helplessness must have asked himself, "now, what do you do to a man who is playing like this?"`
Perhaps he is becoming embarrassed that he has fallen far short of his fans' huge expectation. Being number six in the world, and having made a cool $10.1 million in prize money already in his young career ($1.5 million made this year alone), and more than $25 million in products endorsements, and exhibition matches etc cannot be described as a failure by any stretch of imagination. Perhaps he has finally realised that accomplishment is not necessarily about how much you have in our bank account, but titles and more Grand Slams in pursuit of the seemingly unbreakable record of 14 Grand Slam events held by the retired Pete Sampras. It is also about trying to become the next man to win the Grand Slam sweep since Australia's Rod Laver won the second of his two Grand Slam Slam sweeps in 1969.
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