By Alan Nicolea
October 29th 2008 @ 1:27am
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Flame not quite extinguished for Safin
Marat Safin, a former top-ranked player and a two time Grand Slam champion, wants a long break after his 6-0, 7-6 first round loss against Argentine Juan Monaco at the Paris Masters. Judging by his most recent performance, he should take it and possibly never look back.
Safin managed only 12 points in the first set and trailed 2-0 in the second after just 24 minutes. In the first service game of the second set, Safin had four double faults before breaking back to 2-2.
At times, it seemed the fiery Russian was bereft of all inspiration and timing, such was his defeat against an opponent, who himself has hardly set the world on fire.
Indeed, this has been the story of Safin’s brilliant, albeit, tumultuous career in men’s tennis.
It seems Safin’s inability to produce his best form on a consistent basis will keep him from showing his massive potential, which alone has yielded two Grand Slam titles.
Safin won the U.S. Open in 2000 and the Australian Open in 2005, but he hasn’t been able to muster a tour title since the victory down under against Lleyton Hewitt.
There have been times this season where Safin has been dominant. The fiery Russian seems to love coming out of oblivion to produce the form that made him one of the youngest world number one’s ever.
Safin did it in Wimbledon this year when he knocked out title fancy Novak Djokovic in the third round. He eventually made it to the semi-finals of the most prestigious Grand Slam on the planet.
But once again Safin could not consolidate his momentum.
Since that inspirational effort, the Russian’s career has once again been sent into uncertainty after another lacklustre display at the Paris Masters.
No doubt Safin will take his break, but do not expect retirement soon.
Watch for the three time Paris champion to make a comeback at the Australian Open at the beginning of next year.
But one thinks if he fails to cast off the cobwebs in next years first grand slam tournament, it could be curtains for one of the most enigmatic players ever to lay foot on the court.
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Greg Russell said | October 29th 2008 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
One hesitate ever to write off a player like Safin. In particular there is the nagging thought: could he do a Goran Ivanisevic and win a grand slam, comet like, from a ranking on the edge of the solar system? The problem with this suggestion is that it really only could work at Wimbledon, but it has never been Safin’s gig (notwithstanding his run to the SFs this year). Rather, his game is much better suited to the hardcourts of New York and Melbourne, but these are gruelling events that can only be won by someone with form and a lot of fitness under their belt.
Hewitt and Safin: they are very different players, but one cannot help but note the similar trajectories of their careers, both starting at much the same time, both bursting to prominence with US Open wins just one year apart, both winning two slams, and now both fading at much the same time. Just a coincidence?
Alan Nicolea said | October 29th 2008 @ 4:28pm | Report comment
Greg
I would not see it as a coincidence because Hewitt was world no.1 much longer than Safin and was a far more consistent player than the Russian. Indeed Safin’s favourite surface is hardcourts. Just look at his performances in the Australian Open in 2004 and 2005. On his day, few can match his power. Unfortunetly for Safin however, those days have been few and far between.