Interview Kooyong

Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club

Wednesday, 10 January 2007

MARAT SAFIN

- - - - - - - - - -

Q. How did you rate that first match of the year?

A. Quite well. It was a little bit strange feeling because I've
been practising on the inside courts at Rod Laver, and
the weather was kind of a little bit too windy for me today, the
first set, and then I got used to it a little bit and started to
play better. I'm satisfied with the way I'm moving, the way I'm
playing, so hopefully it will only get better.

Q. Physically, are you feeling good after not having much of a break
in the off season?

A. Yeah, it's okay. I will play this year a little bit less than
last year, so I have to use the opportunities when I have been
playing. And I finished the year quite late. I used all the
matches I have been playing in the past three months to my
advantage, in order to play well here, so I have a lot of matches
behind my back, so hopefully it will help me.

Q. You usually play well in January. Why do you think that is?

A. I kind of like the surface, because it's really fast, a pretty
high bounce. I always played well at the end of the season, and
also it gives me some confidence for the beginning of the year.

Q. In terms of how warm it was out there today, is that an ideal
preparation? Do you need that to get ready for the next two
weeks, in terms of how hot it was outside?

A. Today, the first two games was a little bit tough, but then you
start to get used to it. The body started to warm up pretty
fast, but then it was okay. I don't really sweat a lot. It's
hot but it's not humid, so it's kind of easy to play in such
weather.

Q. How good is it to be back?

A. Quite good to be healthy.

Q. Do you enjoy Australia?

A. Yes, of course. I missed last year and, like I said before,
I used to play really well here, and I missed last year. And
then, after Australia, normally I get my confidence back and
I start to play much better. And then towards the end of the
season I start to play just my -- all the points I start to get
after August, and then finishing after Australia, normally
I don't win a lot of matches, but at least this gives me the
opportunity to take a lot of points and then not be running
around and playing in small tournaments to get the points. So
it's kind of a big jump for me, this tournament, and I missed it
not to be here last year.

Q. Your rematch with Roger Federer tomorrow, bearing in mind what a
classic match you had in 2005, how do you feel about it?

A. It took me by surprise, I didn't know I had to play against him
tomorrow. I think it's going to be great, a great match, great
preparation, and hopefully I will enjoy it.

Q. Do you expect to play him in the Australian Open?

A. Well, it's a long way to go, and I hope I can make a good match
tomorrow. And then I will see what situation he's in right now
and where I am.

- - - - -

L'interview apres le match contre federer :

AAMI CLASSIC

Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club

Thursday, 11 January 2007

MARAT SAFIN

- - - - -

Q. It was a bit windy out there today, Marat. Was that a good test
of the serves?

A. Yes, a little bit. Sometimes it was very difficult to serve, so
that's why I was missing a lot of first serves, and it was a
little bit difficult to compete against him on the baseline.

Q. When we spoke to Roger, he said that your attacking game had
improved. Do you feel that you're playing better now than in
2005?

A. Yes. Well, it took me quite a lot of time to get here, to where
I am, and I think I've improved my game a little bit, step by
step, for the past year. Wimbledon was pretty tough for me, and
with my knee injury, but I'm pretty satisfied with the way my
game improved. I can play serve and volley, I can play some
different styles, so it helps a lot.

Q. It's always a good match-up when you play Roger, it's always a
nice match to watch from the outside. Although he's a very
difficult opponent, do you enjoy to play against him?

A. Yes, I really enjoy it. It's a big challenge for me, it's a
completely different style game, compared to other players, and
for me it's a huge challenge. I always enjoy it, even though
I didn't beat him many times, but I was very close on a few of
them. And my next few years that I'm playing here, I would love
to break him a little bit and take advantage of that, when we
have been playing for a long time, to beat him a few times.

Q. You are always capable of beating him, but do you think that's
mentally good for you, to know that some players seem to go to
matches with him knowing it will be very hard, but you seem to

A. No, even though he's tough, I like to play against him.
I just -- you need to get used to the pace of his ball, and then
to play a little bit more and more. And I think whenever I have
an opportunity I will definitely -- it's a bit tough for him to
beat me, and I will try to -- not to break myself any more and
not have any more injuries, because that's why it's difficult to
catch up with him, when you are coming out from an injury.

Q. Do you prefer a shorter season or the same season going along?

A. The same season. But I guess I will be playing a little bit less
this year, and then I have no other choice than just to continue,
and I guess I'll rest somewhere in between, take a few weeks in
summer.

Q. What did you do this summer?

A. Well, I had one week off, and then went to Spain to practise a
little bit.

Q. Do you have any concrete goals for next season, like the whole
season (inaudible) ...

A. Well, I think my position has changed, and I hope I still keep
myself healthy, because for the past four years, I have been
injured two of them, and it's difficult all the time to try to
come back and try to recover, and to get back where I was, and
get back in shape. And also, with the knee injury, whatever
happens to your legs, it's quite difficult to start to move the
same speed, the same pace, without having in the back of my head
that I can run without any problems. So it's kind of tough, and
hopefully -- I've been playing pretty well the last four months,
to continue this way this year, it will be a big, big difference
for 2008, because I've been playing continuously without any
injuries for over half a year, seven months.

Q. You said before that you're trying not to break yourself any
more. Could you be more specific on that?

A. I mean not to get injured.

Q. Hopefully.

A. Hopefully, because you never know. That's why I said I would
play a little bit less tournaments and concentrate just on the
big ones. And now I'm travelling since a year with a doctor
watching out for me, and after a certain age you need to do that.

Q. Do you feel like your game is at a stage where you can really
challenge in the Australian Open, or do you think you've got a
little bit left to go?

A. Well, you cannot improve anything in the next four days, so
I guess I am where I am right now, and I'm pretty satisfied.
Today I played a pretty good match, and for me it's like a
really big -- like, to see myself where I am right now. I was a
break up in the second set and I was very close to winning the
second one. So if I can compete on the same level with Federer,
it means that you are in good shape.
And then also another thing is just it's very important to
have a good draw the first few rounds, and then you get the
confidence, and you can continue in the second week or somewhere
there.

Q. Was it just a mental lapse there in the second set when you got a
break up?

A. It kind of started to be a little bit windy and I missed -- I
couldn't serve for the first serve, and he played quite good
shots, and I missed one backhand, and that's it, it was gone. So
there was nothing really -- nothing scares me. And if I can
continue this way, I think, if we're going to meet somewhere in
the Australian Open, I think it's going to be a tough match.

- - - - -

merciiiii Jérome !!!!on pourra mettre ses itw ici si t'es ok!!!!