Marat Safin Quotations

It's a pity that the tennis is really going down the drain. Every year it's getting worse and worse and worse. There has to be a radical change, and I hope it will be really soon.

I've had good times and bad times. That's me. That's how I am.

I give up on spending time on these courts; I give up on practicing before the tournament I hate. I hate this.

You cannot take all the chances you get.

If I was the type of person who had tennis, tennis, tennis all the time and I went to bed and ended up dreaming about tennis, I would go nuts.

One of the most important things, actually, when you're playing on grass, is to move.

I've had a lot of luck. If I didn't I'd be washing bottles in Russia.

You're playing or you're not playing. If you're playing, so just shut up and play.

It is very hard for me to switch from clay to grass.

I've lived my life the way I wanted to, whether scaling the mountains, partying long into the night or having fun playing soccer.

If you're losing, just be a man; be a man and lose as a man.

I've realized I can't waste any moment being unhappy.

I could be the best looking guy in the Duma, but that's only because all the other guys are over 60.

All in all, I think Kazan is Russia's sportiest city after Moscow, leaving all the others far behind.

I could pose in fashion commercials as a high society star but politics is a new way of life.

I definitely want to get out of tennis and try something completely different.

I think it's difficult to be No. 1. 'There's too much attention, too much expectation from other people.

Probably I'll not be so successful if I will keep everything in myself inside of me.

You cannot change me; this is the way I am.

I think as a guy you need a little bit to be on your own from early on, to start to live your own life, and try to understand what is going on around you, you have to be able to survive.

It was really impossible to break through in Russia. We couldn't buy any balls. We really didn't have any courts, no rackets, nothing. And no people to practice with.

I was ill the last two days. I was still a bit weak. I wasn't ready for this.

I would have loved to win here in Moscow playing for the first time in front of so many Russian fans and of course I'm disappointed by losing,

Of course, it's very frustrating to see the umpire making a clear mistake but he doesn't want to change his mind no matter what.

Maybe I went for it too much, ... I started to make mistakes and I became frustrated as he became more solid.

I have been working very hard and my knee is a lot better but it would not be right to go to a Grand Slam and test my knee right now. I am sorry to all my Australian fans but I will be back next year.

I am totally against it. I think it will destroy the game. It will slow it down, lose the momentum and the motion of the game. Who was the genius who came up with this stupid idea? They are looking for solutions on how to save the game and this is not it.

I fought until the last point and that's something I'm satisfied with. My game was not 100 percent when I needed it to be. It's tough but life goes on.

I don't understand what Ferrero was complaining about,

I am very sad I cannot go to the Australian Open to defend my title as champion.

I am very sad that I cannot go to the Australian Open to defend my title. I have been working very hard and it is a lot better.

But it was still a great match. I don't know the last time I played such great tennis. It was probably my best match ever on grass.

But, despite all that, I have a lot more good memories than bad of being here and I would love to come back next year.

I don't know why I would not be serene.

I am going to try to play New Haven probably because I need to play a couple more matches to get used to it, work on my fitness and get my rhythm back.

I am happy. I mean, playing Fabrice is not so nice for me... he was leading 7-1 in matches we'd played, so I am happy to be back and to win.

I'm ambitious. I better start climbing back up there, because otherwise I will not get into tournaments. People will not take me as serious. It's very important to show everybody I still know how to play tennis and I'm still fighting.

I will definitely not go to New Haven, ... I'm going to try and take care of my knee and get ready for the U.S. Open, where I should be at my best.

I think it will be okay, ... I hope the doctor will help me out because it's quite sore. We'll see.

I think the crowd should get a video cassette of this match because it was a classic,

I won't worry about that until I meet him, but there's been no secret formula for anyone up against him on any surface for the last couple of years. But I'd like to get another crack.

I will take one week off, definitely not go to New Haven, try to take care of my knee and try to get ready for U.S. Open, where I should be at my best. So because of the knee, I would skip New Haven and try to go to the doctor, spend much more time with him so he can fix me at least so I can play U.S. Open.

I think he had quite bad losses, for example, in the Davis Cup against us...He was supposed to be in the Top 10. I think it's a little bit a pity because he's quite talented guy. But he can be there, but he needs to be more brave, that's for sure.

I was missing a little bit of energy. I got sick two, three days ago, and I'm still a little bit weak.

We have known each other since we were nine years old and we have played together in Russia, ... We played in the Under-16 European championships and he beat me in the quarterfinals. He's one of my best friends and I really like him. It will be nice to play him and hopefully get revenge.

That's the situation I am right now, I cannot ask for too much of myself. I have to think a little bit more about my knee.

Unfortunately, my career, it's a little roller-coaster, ... So I need to get used to it. That's how I am.

Everything worked out. I'm satisfied with my game today. If it goes like this, I have good chances to play well in this tournament,

I've been out for one month and a half and I didn't really practice before the tournament,

I've been playing non-stop for several weeks and obviously I'm getting tired both physically and mentally. I tried but it wasn't enough.

I've slightly changed my action and movement and tonight it really worked well for me.

I've played him many times, six times, but the way he is playing this year, with confidence, to beat him will be very tough. A little bit of luck would be great.

To be honest I think he ran out of gas. When I broke him in the third set I think his belief went. He was missing that extra step and he could not cope.

We have eyes, and we see that not many people are interested in the sports.

Also, I got older a little bit. I have more experience so I know what to do. I've just tried to be a little bit more focused in what I'm doing, and it's working.

You need to believe in yourself and I didn't.

I'm taking this tournament very seriously and in this sort of match you have to take your opportunities when they come.

I'm just hoping to play as many tournaments I can to get my ranking back.

I'm really happy with the way I played, definitely my best since Melbourne last year.

It will be quite difficult, you have to do something special against him (Federer), he is so far from all of us,

In the second set I was a little bit nervous because, I was playing too good, and I almost lost the second set. It's a little bit too early to say that I'm getting closer to my best shape. But at least I'm fighting.

But I have to live with that, work on my serve and get ready for the Australian Open.

I didn't practice for one month and a half and I played three matches in a row and today I felt really, really tired on the court. I couldn't move properly and I couldn't find my game. My timing was not there. So it's really difficult to play against any player.

I didn't expect to win. I felt I had no chance whatsoever. I felt lost on the court.

I didn't expect to win. It was a big surprise.

I didn't expect to win. It was a big surprise. Especially with the draw, I couldn't really think I would make even a set. I was coming out to play a few games and make sure I was moving okay and get back the rhythm.

He's the kind of player that you need to be really careful and really focus from the beginning of the match.

It was little bit too late to come back in the second set. I was missing a lot on baseline, my serve was not there.

It was not enough matches, so many mistakes. Like I've said, you need to get the rhythm back. It doesn't come straight away. It's still a long way and I have many things to work on. I hope it will come back soon.

It was a great comeback from Pete ... I was always under pressure,

In my position, I think it's enough, ... If I didn't have a sore knee, I would go to New Haven (for next week's tournament) and try to get the rhythm back and try to get the confidence before the U.S. Open. In my position, I have to think about my knee and how many matches I have, so it will be OK for the U.S. Open.

All the time you are under pressure because there is Pete Sampras opposite you so you have to come up with great shots.

The injury wasn't serious. But unfortunately I stopped playing too late. After Wimbledon I was advised to stop for two or three months but I did not take the advice.

The first set was a bit tough because I hadn't played a match for six months. You are unable to decide where you have to move, when you have to go to the net, whether to put pressure or stay back. I was a bit lost and tense because I knew that I had a chance.

Everybody is smarter from outside of the court.

It's like love. When you look too hard, you don't find it. When you let it happen naturally, it comes.

Everything is possible in this life...

If you're losing, just be a man, be a man and lose as a man. Don't pretend that you are injured and then you start running around and start to hit winners, and then all of a sudden you pull the hands up in the air after winning the match. I mean, what kind of sportsman are you? What kind of man are you?

Roger [Federer], he brought tennis... one level higher. Normally he toys with everybody. With all respect to other players, he does whatever he wants on the court against them. It's incredible what kind of game he can play.

There's a lot of things in life that we don't know why they're coming exactly at this moment.

We live because of the dreams.

Wimbledon is not the tournament I love. I don't like how they treat the players. There are small things that don't cost them anything and they make such a big deal out of it. If they treat us this way, well, we have to treat them the same. We want to be respected, the way we respect Wimbledon, even if it is not the best Grand Slam on earth.

I was making comebacks every single year. That makes it difficult mentally. It causes a lot of stress.

I didn't change the world.

Five sets is a kind of lottery. Anything can happen.

I'm not fighting with myself. Oh, my God. That's how I am. You know, the story of the hippo? The hippo comes to the monkey and said, listen, I'm not a hippo. So, he paint himself like a zebra. He said but he's still a hippo. He said but look at you, you're painted like a zebra but you are a hippo. So then he goes, you know, like I want be a little parrot. So, he put the colours on him and he comes to the monkey and said but, sorry, you are a hippo. So, in the end, you know, he comes and said I'm happy to be a hippo. This is who I am. So, I have to be who I am and he's happy being a hippo.

The Olympics is not for tennis and tennis does not need the Olympics. It is not my goal in life to win a gold medal.

I don't care about losses anymore.

My mother said I would have more chances to become a tennis player than a football player.

Don't get too excited when I am winning, and don't get too depressed when I am losing. Just keep it cool.

New York is a fantastic city.

There wasn't a rich father or rich family that paid for everything that I have right now, so I worked my way.

Right now my main aim is not to get injured any more. I am a little bit afraid of running and sliding because the ankle was so painful. But I am not a person who runs a lot, who spends a lot of energy on the court. If I am mentally OK, if nothing is bothering me and I want to play, then it is fine.

It's too much pressure. You have to think match by match and moment by moment or it drives you to distraction. I'm tired of all the talk about it. Everyone is obsessed with it...If I was the type of person who had tennis, tennis, tennis all the time and I went to bed and ended up dreaming about tennis, I would go nuts.

It's frustrating when you want to play but can't. I didn't touch a racket for three weeks and when I started playing again last week, I still felt some pain in my wrist.

I try to do my best to have fun off the court.

It's a completely different situation right now because last year it was the time that nobody expected anything from me anything -- I had nothing to lose, basically I was starting from zero. And now I'm back in Top 5. And for me it's a different stage.

I was very competitive. I hated losing. No matter what, I had to win.

I'm not fighting with myself.

There is no such thing as a perfect player; it doesn't exist.