Russian Marat Safin continues his attempts to return to the elite of world tennis after a severe knee injury, because of which he missed the second half of last season. So far, Safin’s most successful performance was the April semifinal of the tournament in Valencia. Other competitions were less successful, which is why Marat fell to a humiliating 95th position in the ATP rating list. On the eve of the prestigious tournament in Indianapolis, where Safin is going to once again take revenge on fate, Izvestia correspondent Andrei Ivantsov found out from the tennis player whether he was tired of this occupation.Information appeared in the press that you were already a little tired of all this futile struggle.
It is not true. And the people who say that are just provocateurs. It’s really not easy for me now. I expected that even very slowly, I would rise in the ranking, and it turns out that I would slowly drop ... (after a pause) But this is not a reason to give up the fight. Before my eyes stands an example of the same Andre Agassi, who successfully returned to tennis after a long break, generally being behind the first hundred ratings. So the points in the table are not the main thing; you just need to find your game. And this will certainly happen this year. Two or three serious victories, and you won’t stop me.
That is, the quality of the game is more important to you now than the results?
Ideally, of course, I want both. For example, in winter, when I was just getting ready to return to court, my coach Peter Lundgren said: Take your time, be careful. I, on the contrary, wanted to immediately catch up on everything that I had missed in six months. As a result, the plan of my return almost fell through: my sore knee began to ache again. Then I realized that rushing can really cost me dearly.
You are a well-known person, with good connections, friends. Why do you torture your body? Kurnikova herself, for example, participates in demonstration tournaments, acts in commercials: in general, she lives - she does not bother.
It just seems that it will be easy for such a popular guy like me to find himself outside the sport. In fact, this is almost unrealistic. Business? It is necessary to understand it, every day to devote a lot of time to it. For me, my whole life connected with tennis, this is simply impossible. But I’m not interested in selling the rights to my face and spitting on the ceiling. I used to live with a drive that I find in tennis in full.
What is more difficult for you: to enter the previous rhythm physically or psychologically?
Physically, I feel very good right now. Maybe my legs are a little weak. But a strong head, which is most important in sports.
Peter Lundgren has repeatedly said that your character has changed a lot lately. What exactly?
Probably, I began to appreciate even more people who surround me - family, friends. In the fall, when he was treating his knee and watching the game of other tennis players on TV, he realized: I am the most ordinary guy. Yes, and lame! (Laughs.) It will be very difficult for such a person in this life without love and the help of loved ones. And this whole topic with image and popularity is just a brilliant wrapper of a beautiful box, in which something big and not countable in money must necessarily lie.
Andrey IVANTSOV