A WILD RUSSIAN
狂野的俄罗斯男子--萨芬小传

JULY-AUGUST 2005 OF A RUSSIAN �MEDVED� (�THE BEAR�)
俄罗斯杂志--MEDVED 节录自 http://www.safinator.com/
By Sergey Shachin

He sincerely admits his mistakes. He smashes racquets when angry at himself. He curses himself in Russian, English and Spanish when does silly mistakes on court. He pretends to cry when he hits the ball into the net. In order to celebrate a win of a vivid point at Roland Garros he even pulled his pants down
他总是诚恳地认错，对自己不爽时以摔拍发洩；当在场上犯了可笑的失误後，他用俄语、英语、西班牙语咒骂自己；抽球下网时，他假装掩面哭泣，甚至在法网时，为了庆祝精彩的一分，他把裤子脱了下来。

This is how a famous USA Today journalist Gils Leeber sees Marat Safin. But why have we started the story about our compatriot with a quote from a foreign periodical? That's because from a while back Marat has been boycotting Russian press. This is how he explains it: Russia is a very particular country. Our people know no limits. Today they love you to death, tomorrow they're throwing stones at you. They beg for an interview and when you give one they turn
everything inside out and make you look like a monster. One thing I can't understand is WHY they do it. Are they trying to increase their popularity or something? Anyway, I recommend watching your step in Russia. Here they won't help you get up, what's worse they'll probably push you in the back, too.
这是美国大报 USA TODAY 记者 GILS LEEBER 眼中的马拉特 萨芬，然而为何作为一个俄国传媒，本文的楔子非得引用外国 的文章来形容我们的马拉特呢 ? 因为，从很久很久之前MARAT便开始抵制俄国媒体。他是如此解释的:俄罗斯是个很奇特的国家，人们不知节制，得寸进 尺。今天他们爱你至死，明天他们马上对你丢石头。他们求你给他们一个专访，但一旦你接受了，他们扭曲事实把你写成一个恶魔。我最不能理解的一点是，为什麼 他们要如此? 是因为这样能提高知名度吗 ? 总之，我提醒各位在俄罗斯要步步为营，当你摔了跤，非但没人扶你一把，甚至再从背後踹你一脚。
his is on one side. On the other side Safin has a beautiful house in Valencia and an apartment in Monte Carlo. But on any given occasion Marat rushes to Moscow where he says he feels most comfortable even though some specific events of Russian life effect sport celebrities lives as well. In earlier times Russian hooligans had a law: not to touch famous sportsmen because their own sweat and blood earn their money. Today times have changed. In 2002 before a DC semifinal against Argentina Safin's BMW was stolen, then one after another two jeeps and then his parents' flat got robbed. Marat treats these losses philosophically: It is very important for a man to find the right time to feel independent of things as well as not to lose your mind when big money comes your way. A real man will always find himself even without money as long as he does something he loves. I really liked that stolen BMW but when the story became public I addressed the thieves through a newspaper (if they read newspapers that is) Guys, if you managed to steal a car and not get caught I sincerely wish you happiness. Let there be at least be someone who gains out of this situation.
萨芬在瓦伦西亚有一间漂亮的房子，蒙特卡罗也有套公寓。然而如果有空，萨芬总是回到他认为最舒适的莫斯科，即便很多活动影响运动人员的隐私权。 早期俄罗斯街上的不良少年有个规矩，不准去打扰有名的运动员，因为他们的每分钱都是血汗所换来的，但是一切已昨是今非。2002年在DAVIS CUP 半决赛对阿根廷前，萨芬的BMW爱车被偷，之後两台吉普车相继失窃，甚至盗贼连他父母的住家都没放过。MARAT 看待这些不幸自有他一套哲学: 人要适 时懂得不为物质所驾驭，同时也不要因为赚大钱而冲昏了头。一个有脑子的人即使没钱，只要热爱自己所从事的事业，就不会迷失人生的方向。我真的很喜欢那辆被 偷我BMW，但当事件已成新闻，我只透过报纸对窃贼声明 (如果他们有读报纸的话)，朋友呀，假如你有本事偷车且没被逮捕，我真心祝你幸福。至少，在这个 事件上有人有所收获吧，不是双方皆输的局面。

On the whole Safin is not an avenger. There is however things he will not put up with: deceit, for example, or lying. The most important quality in a man is honestly, Marat once said, do not tell small lies, then it will be hard to tell big ones.
- What present would you chose for your worst enemy? he was once asked during a press-conference
- A good present, - he replied and that person would feel really bad not understanding what's going on.
- Do you have a lot of enemies? When was the last time you wanted to his someone?
- This happens rather often because I cannot stand pushy and impolite people. And they are all over the place, - Safin replied.
总而言之，萨芬不是个记仇的人，也不寻求报复。但是，有些事却是他怎麼也不能忍受的，举例而言，欺骗、谎言。人类最可贵在於真诚，马拉特曾说，不要说小谎，以後要说更多大谎来圆谎。
"你会送什麼礼物给你最大的敌人? " 有一次在记者会上被问及这个问题，他回答"一个很棒的礼物，因为收到礼物後他会觉得很羞愧到底是怎麼回事。"
"你有很多敌人吗? " 萨芬回答 : "什麼时候你希望每个人都说他跟你有关系 (亲戚或朋友)? 这样的事老在重覆发生，我实在很难忍爱管闲事或没有礼貌的人，而这种人到处都是"
Around the World
周游世界

Marat acquired his favourite occupation at the age of 5. His mother Rausa Islanova was a good tennis player, a multi times champion of the USSR. The she became and excellent coach. She worked at the oldest tennis courts of Moscow, where loads of famous tennis players grew up: Andrei Chesnokov, Andrei Cherkassov, Anya Kournikova, Nastya Myskina.I suppose you can't name all. Mum often took Marat with her to work because there was no one to leave him at home with. At first he was just fooling around with a racquet, then started to show some signs of talent and afterwards he began to like victories. That's when his parents decided to make a real tennis player out of him.
MARAT 在5岁时接触了网球。妈妈ISLANOVA 是个优秀的女网球员，苏联时代多次夺冠，尔後她成功地转职为一名教练。她在莫斯科历史 最久的网球场工作，在那里酝育了许多名球手， Chesnokov, Cherkassov, 库娃，米娜，多到数不完。妈妈因为分身乏术，所以工作时常 带著MARAT在身边。一开始他只是拿著球拍玩玩，之後开始显露过人的天份，渐渐地，他开始享受赢球的滋味。那也是父母决定栽培儿子成为一个网球员的开 始。

But how? Nowadays Russia is living through a tennis boom but 20 years ago Courts' conditions were far from good and the indoor ones could be counted with fingers on one hand, racquets sold in shops were a nightmare, to find a good sparring partner was a whole problem. Some wise people advised the Safins to send the boy abroad. Some kind people helped with funds. So just like that at the age of 12 Marat found himself in the USA, in Florida, in a famous academy of Nick Bolletieri. However, he didn't stay there long, didn't make much of an impression on the tennis guru. This probably really hurt Marat's ego. A few later he told the whole world about the true face of Mr. Bolletieri that not many people in the US know about, noone knows how Marat knows, too:
但要怎麼栽培?俄罗斯现在网球盛行，20年前球场设备很差，室内球场曲指可数，能买到的球拍品质恶劣，更别提去找到能练习的伙伴。有些人建议萨 芬父母送小孩出国，有些人帮忙出资。因此在12岁时，MARAT 远赴美国佛罗里达一个著名的 Nick Bolletieri 学院，不过，他只待一会 儿，没得到这个网球教头的青睐，这或许刺伤了小小马拉特的心灵。几年之後，他告诉全世界 Bolletieri 的真面目，没有几个美国人知道，只有他亲 身体会过

He says he brought up Sampras, Agassi, Seles, Becker, Haas.Really and truly Bolletieri is a former paratrooper, who maybe knows how to hold a machine gun properly but not a racquet. It's just that Nick is a very good businessman plus an experienced self-promoter and right connections guy. He attracts gifted kids to his academy, there well-known experienced coaches train them and Bolletieri announces himself as an achiever or results his coaches produce. By the way, he has the same kinds of academies in golf, soccer, baseball and horse riding. Are you meaning to tell me he is also good in these sports?
他说，他培养出山普拉斯、阿加西、莎莉斯、贝克尔、哈斯，事实上，Bolletieri 以前是个军人，他可能懂得怎麼举枪，但却不懂拿球拍， 他不过是个很会做生意，也很懂透过各种管道自我行销的人罢了。他吸引有天赋的小孩到学院去，请一流的教练指导他们，然後自己宣称一切都是他及他的教练们成 就出来的。除了网球，他还开设高尔夫、足球、棒球及马术学院，告诉我，难道他精通所有的运动吗?

So it didn't work out with Bolletieri and Marat got his tennis degree in Valencia, at the tennis school of Pancho Alvarina. Apart from all the features of future champion, he also developed features of a macho there, namely dark, passionate unpredictable inner power ready to break free at the right moment, - such a comment was passed by one of the super models after she watched Marat play. Another stunning woman, star of Beverly Hills 90210 Tiffany Amber Thiessen said that she would not rest until she manages to get Safin into her bed. Madonna herself through newspapers announced to the whole world that she included Marat in the list of sperm donors for her future son. But all of this was much later
美国之行不顺利，MARAT 在瓦伦西亚得到他的网球"学位" ，就在PANCHO ALVARNA 学校。除了具有成为未来王者的特质之外， 他在西班牙也锻练出不凡的气慨，一种随时都会爆发出来的内在能量--这是一位名模看过MARAT 打球後的惊叹。另一位好莱坞明星，主演比佛利90210 女演员Tiffany Amber Thiessen 说，除非把MARAT搞上床，否则她不会善罢甘休。MADONNA 在报纸上也公开表示，她希望未 来能得到MARAT的精子来生养下一代。而这一切光芒，都在贫困中奋斗很久很久之後......

I moved to Valencia when I was 14. This is how my independent life began, Marat recollects. In those days I could only spend 15 dollars per day as pocket money. And that is in a gorgeous country with so many seductions! I remember walking in the street and closing my eyes in order not to get too upset that I couldn't at a time afford this, this and that. However, I believe everyone has to pass a penniless stage once, then you start treasuring every dime. It's funny to think about it now but the first car I ever bought was a wrecked red Volkswagen Golf. One door didn't use to open and I think the car was about my age.
我14岁就自己前往瓦伦西亚，这是我异乡独立生活的开始，记得那时候每天只有15块的零用钱。而你知道西班牙是个很棒的国家，有好多诱人的事物 阿 ! 印象中为了怕看到自己买不起的东西我索性闭著眼睛走过街道，不然实在太难过了。然而，我也深深感到，每个人应该要历经贫困，未来才懂得珍惜每一分 钱。现在回想起来是很好笑，但我第一次买的车是一辆破旧的红色VW GOLF，一个车门坏掉，车龄跟我年纪差不多。

Safin and Lenin
萨芬与列宁

Life is short and I want to live it the way I like. There is no perfect player, everyone has weaknesses. Life presumes a balance between your strengths and weaknesses. No matter who you are you have to be happy. You cannot change yourself completely and there is no point in pretending you can when you can't.

Noone can change you no matter how much they try and how much time they waste on it.This is a part of Marat's philosophy today.
生命苦短，我要过自己想过的生活。没有所谓的完美球员，每个人总有些弱点。生命本身就是优点与弱点平衡地存在著。不管自己是谁，你总要快乐地活下 去。你无法完全改变自己，而勉强自己做超过能力的事情有什麼意义? 不管别人花多少时间精力想改变你，那都是徒劳的。这是 MARAT 的论点之ㄧ

Pyrrhic Victory
牺牲换来的珍贵胜利

Everything changed in a second when in 2000 a 20 year old Russian showing great potential won one of the most prestigious Grand Slams the US Open, thrashing the Great Pete Sampras in the final. That�s when at once Marat suddenly obtained a beautiful luxurious house in Valencia, a whole auto park of 5 cars, including of course a Ferrari and a massive crowd of female fans. In those days Marat swam in luxury and loved it. Nowadays however five years later,grown-up Marat is positive that the US Open victory played a cruel trick on him.
所有的一切因2000年20 岁的俄罗斯少年在美网决赛轻取山普拉斯後改变了。MARAT 突然在瓦伦西亚买了一栋豪华的房子，可以容纳5台车 的车库，藏车包含法拉利等，还有一票女球迷。在那段时间，MARAT沈浸在奢华中，热爱这样的生活。5年之後，长大的MARAT 说美网的胜利让他顿时迷 失了自我。

It came way too early and I so to speak lost my head. I wanted to win every tournament, every match. A while later I realised that it is absolutely impossible. Tennis players have the longest season in the world, we only have a two week break in winter, we play 25-30 tournaments per season and you should make 5 maximum 7 tournaments your top priority, the rest are just passing by.
少年得志大不幸，我当时可说是昏头了。我想赢每一个冠军，每一场比赛，後来我才明白那根本是不可能的。网球员是所有运动中赛季最长的，我们一年只有冬天两个礼拜的假期，每年要打25-30个比赛，你应该把重点放在5到7场比赛，其他的就平常心度过。

Payback for the efforts of becoming the unbeatable came in the form of psychological instability, mountains of smashed racquets, conflicts with umpires, etc. but worst of all serious injuries. The state that came over Marat urged him to get out on court not being 100% fit. As a result old injuries got worse and the new ones piled up on top. Yes, he did play some truly outstanding tennis every now and then and was in Grand Slam finals three times but nevertheless he started slipping downhill in ratings. November 2000- Safin is world's Number One, the season of 2004 he started 77th.
想成为不败的铁人的所换来的代价是不稳定的心理状态，数不清被摔烂的球拍，与裁判的争执...等，最糟的，是严重的伤病。MARAT 曾经身体 不很舒服也勉强上场，最後旧伤未愈新伤接肿而至。没错，他时有佳作，也曾三度杀入大满贯决赛，但是排名却残酷地不断在下降。2000年11月，萨芬是世界 第一，2004年开始，他以77名复出。

You do not want to miss a step in Russia: not only won't they help you, they'd push you in the back, too. Marat probably reached this sad conclusion during that black period of his life. Because this is exactly when Russian press poured all sorts of dirt on its idol. Russian paparazzi hunted for Marat. They were trying to expose him as someone who leads a dissolute lifestyle and that lifestyle is a cause of all his problems. A really great opportunity for these
accusations turned up at Australian Open 2003, where Safin was accompanied by 3(!!!) stunning blondes everywhere he went. Marat had a close relationship with only one of them a model from a US Agency New Generation Katya Bestuzheva and the other two were none more than her two Australian girlfriends. But noone really cared about that, did they? The reason for Marat's poor performance are his wild pre-match orgies! That is what the journalists wanted to see and they obviously did see and write what they wanted.
你绝对不要在俄罗斯走错一步，他们不但不帮你，还会落井下石。MARAT 在那段黑暗失落的时期感慨世态的炎凉，因为这也正是俄罗斯媒体无情攻击这位偶像的时期。俄国狗仔队

守著MARAT，他们总想证明他的一切问题不值同情，全是自己放荡纵情的後果。当2003年澳网在三位美丽的金发女郎陪同时，狗仔队找到最佳机会 证明他们的理论。MARAT 其实只跟其中一位模特儿 Katya Bestuzhueva 交往，其他两个只是她的姊妹淘而已。但谁在乎真相是什麼? 由於赛前过度玩乐，导致他表现失常，记者想看到这些东西，他们看到什麼了之後便捕风捉影，把他写得不堪。

About sex, by the way. A legendary basketball player Wilt Chamberlain insisted that he wasn't able to play well if he spent the night before the game without a woman. Something on those lines was also admitted by an English soccer player from that era George Best. But sport has dramatically changed since then and Safin speaks differently. Sex is a tremendous hormonal shaking. All pre-match excitement disappears after good sex. I also read somewhere that the sexier the person, the more of a genius he/she4 is. However if I had sex the nights before the game, I'd break down for spare parts on court.
有关性爱一事，传奇棒球手 Wilt Chamberlain 强调如果赛前之夜没有女人陪伴他就打不好；英国的足球员 George Best 也同意这个说法。但是运动从以前到现在已改变太多，萨芬则持相反观点。性爱是贺尔蒙对身体的大震撼，在赛前有了美好的性爱後， 一切兴奋感将随之消失。我也曾读过，越性感的人越聪明。但就我个人而言，如果在赛前跟人上床，上场时我完全无法好好比赛。

Safin and Lenin
萨芬与列宁

Life is short and I want to live it the way I like. There is no perfect player, everyone has weaknesses. Life presumes a balance between your strengths and weaknesses. No matter who you are you have to be happy. You cannot change yourself completely and there is no point in pretending you can when you can't.

Noone can change you no matter how much they try and how much time they waste on it.This is a part of Marat's philosophy today.
生命苦短，我要过自己想过的生活。没有所谓的完美球员，每个人总有些弱点。生命本身就是优点与弱点平衡地存在著。不管自己是谁，你总要快乐地活下 去。你无法完全改变自己，而勉强自己做超过能力的事情有什麼意义? 不管别人花多少时间精力想改变你，那都是徒劳的。这是 MARAT 的论点之一。

During one of the numerous press conferences he literally stunned the journalists when he said that he had been carefully studying Vladimir Lenin's biography. He then explained, I am fascinated by the phenomenon. How could anyone so small and weak force his will upon millions of people? Generally, if I admire anyone the reason would be their way of thinking.
在很多记者会中，记者们总非常惊讶 MARAT 说他一直在研究列宁的传记。他的解释是，"列宁现象实在太令人震慑了，如此瘦小的人为何会有那麼强大的统治能力? 如果我崇拜一个人，必定在於他思考的模式。"

That is what keeps a Russian wild cat (as Tennis Magazine once called him) occupied these days.
这是 俄罗斯野狮(美国杂志如此形容他) 最近著迷的东西。

Safin will never let you get bored, Peter Lundgren noted once. By the age of 25 Marat has earned over 12 million dollars, in addition to that he receives substantial pays from sponsors and advertisers. However, he prefers to buy his jeans on sale. Everything on sale, Safin adds. But it has nothing to do with greed. It’s a drive looking of looking for something and then finding it. Cheap doesn't necessarily mean bad, expensive stuff is in excess everywhere.
LUNDGREN 曾表示，跟萨芬在一起你绝不会无聊。25岁的他已赚取一千两百万美金，除了这些，他还有赞助商及广告等其他收入。但是，他偏 好买打折的牛仔裤。萨芬再次强调，"只要打折便宜的，什麼都好。这跟贪婪毫不相干，是一种动力去找东西，最後找到它的乐趣。便宜并不等於劣质，昂贵的东西 到处都是。"

n addition to that by the age of 25 Safin obtained three serious injuries that will remind of themselves for a while. This forced Marat, whom ACE Magazine announced the sexiest sportsman, seriously think about justice of rules in professional sports. We are simply exploited but we cannot do anything about it. ATP Tour bosses are cool, dodge businessmen, they will not let profit slip away. What comes as a result? Every single one of us, tennis professionals, has a list of prohibited medicine, there are hundreds of brands in there. Often sportsmen don't have a right to take widely used medicine like Coldrex or Fervex. Once I had extremely high fever and I was literally scared to go to the pharmacy. What if I buy and swallow something prohibited?!? Abnd stuffing yourself with antibiotics, which are sort of allowed, is a major knockout for your immune system. Now tell me, what normal person can bare 3-4 hours of running around the court when it's +35 C??? You feel roasted, your pulse is about 200 beats. We are victims and it hurts to know noone cares. This means we have to think for the future and take care of ourselves. Now, for example, me and Mr. Arkhipov (he is a very famous Russian surgeon) want to establish an aid fund for the veterans of sport. And that's not my only idea of this sort.
在25岁之前，萨芬总共严重受伤三次，後遗症在残存著。这促使ACE 杂志票选最性感的运动萨芬严肃地思考职业运动员的权益问题。"我们被剥削 却无力反抗。ATP 那些主事者冷酷，眼中只有利益，一分一毛都不愿错过。结果呢? 他们发给每个职业运动员一系列禁药的名单，几百种药都在名单里。平常 民众常服用的Coldrex 或 Fervex 也不获准。有一次我发高烧，但却不敢去药房买药。如果一不小心我服了禁药呢 ? 所以就吃抗生素，那是允 许的，但那对我们的免疫系列有强烈杀伤性。所以，请你告诉我，哪个正常人能在35度C 以上高温下连续奔跑三四个小时??? 你彷佛被火烤著，心跳一分钟 200次...我们是商业利益下的牺牲品，但想到这事竟然无人关切就令我痛心。这也表示，我们只能为了前途自求多福。现在，我和 Arkhipov先生 (有名的俄罗斯外科医师)想要成立基金会为老运动员筹募资金，不是只有我自己这麼想而已。

(JS : 如果没记错，MARAT 这个计画已经在运作了，基金会好像成立了。他说了，也做到了)

The Famous Tie-Break
有名的抢七

Specialists come to a unified decision that in the next few years the main decoration of male tennis will be the battles between pragmatic Federer and adventurous Safin. Roger and Marat already handed us a few matches like that. The wildest of all was the Australian Open 2005 semifinal, which lasted for 5 hours. Marat lost the first set, won the second, lost the third and snatched out a victory in the final fourth set in a manner that is very popular with a Russian wild cat on a tie-break. By the way, Marat's birthday was on the same day.
专家一致认为，未来几年，男子网坛会因务实的费德勒跟冒险家萨芬的争斗而精彩。ROGER 跟 MARAT 已经带给我们几次飨宴了。最疯狂的 莫过於05年澳网历经 5小时惊心动魄的半决赛。MARAT 输掉第一盘，拿下第二盘，又失去第三盘，最後在第四盘中拿下了俄罗斯野狮著名的抢七，喔，那 天也正好是MARAT 的生日。

This time in Safin's box there were no sexy long-legged blondes. There was however a sweet dark-haired girl named Dasha, whom the journalists hurried to sign in as Marat's fianc'e and a daughter of some Russian oligarch Zhukov. Furious Marat accused the press of lying once again and said that Mr. Zhukov is not an oligarch but simply a successful businessman. Later, having cooled off a little Marat admitted that Dasha andhim have a long-term relationship but there is no wedding in plans. Look at my curls, and you want me to get married?!?! This responsible step can only be taken at 60, when your kids are grown. And then he adds seriously, A happy marriage to a tennis-player is tough, so why risk it? We, tennis players are used to belonging to ourselves, we never report to anyone. These are not the bet habits for family life. And then, what kind of family will that be with my never-ending travelling?!?!
这次，萨芬的包厢不再有一群长腿金发辣妹，倒是有一个甜美的棕发女孩达莎，记者又赶忙加盐添醋她是MARAT的未婚妻，她爸爸是俄罗斯石油寡头 朱可夫。愤怒的MARAT严斥媒体造谣兹事，并表示朱可夫只不过是个成功的企业家。後来当他气消了之後，才承认他和达莎已经交往很久，但是还没打算结婚。 看看我满头卷发，我能结婚吗? 大概60岁才有办法吧。他更严肃地表示，一个职业网球员要维系幸福的婚姻是不容易的，那为什麼要冒然行事呢? 我们已经长 年习惯自己打理生活，从不需向谁报告行踪。这不是家庭生活的该有的习惯，而且，整年旅行的我能带给家庭什麼 ?"

Australian Open 2005 final was the 100th one. Safin played Lleyton Hewitt. Easy to imagine how the whole crowd prayed for the Australian to win. Lleyton could have presented his country with a national holiday but...Marat snatched the opportunity away from him and won his second Grand Slam.
The day after the final, an Australian newspaper "Today" wrote, There is also something else about Marat. It's more than tennis, It's his humanity. Being as emotional as he is he didn't dance, roar, throw fists in the air after he had beaten Federer, he just stood there, reserved calm. After the final Safin was calmness itself. It was a part of winner's politeness. He ruined Hewitt's and Australia's dream but there was no need to rub it in.
05年澳网是百年澳网。萨芬迎战休依特。你可以想像所有在场的球迷多麼希望兔子赢球，兔子说不定能带来一个国定假日...但MARAT 把这机 会夺走，赢得第二座满贯。在决赛隔天，澳网报纸 "TODAY"写著，MARAT 有著一些为人不知的特质。不只是他的球技，而是他的人道主义精神。像他 那麼情绪化的人物，在打败费德勒後他既不跳舞，也不吼叫或空中握拳，只是站在那里，静静地。决赛之後，他依然如此。这是一个胜者的礼貌，他粉碎了兔子及澳 洲人的梦想，不需要再火上加油。

At the end of August a US Open tournament will take place, a tournament, which Marat's stardom began with. Marat is amongst the favourites, we hope for his victory.
八月底美网即将开始，美网，也是MARAT成为明星的福地。他是热门夺冠者，我们衷心祝福他胜利。

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