Current Tournament-Australian Open
目前比賽--澳洲網球公開賽﹐止步第三輪
(1/20日更新:內附所有比賽記者會中英文及照片!!)
Safin(26) lost to Roddick(6) at 3rd round 6-7,6-2,4-6,6-7
a very close match, could've gone either way
How I expected to sing b day song to him at the semis like 2005!!! Still wish Marat the best of luck! U did fight hard, even you were injured and hurt!!

AUSTRALIAN OPEN
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
15-28 JANUARY 2007
Prize Money: AUS $19,300,000
128 DRAW
SURFACE: REBOUND ACE
BALL: WILSON AUSTRALIAN OPEN BALL
WEB SITE: http://www.australianopen.com/

Interview Video Links (He is such a hottie!!)
現場接受訪問視頻 (笑容太迷人了)

1. 1st round at Rod Laver Arean with Jim Courier

• 3rd round Marat lost to A. Roddick

(26) Marat Safin (Russia)	6	6	4	6
(6) Andy Roddick (USA)	7	2	6	7

Marat's fingers were injured after falling onto the ground
Ouch.......But he did fight to the end, it really was a close match!!
What can I ask for!! That's the spirit, Marat!!

An interview with: MARAT SAFIN
第三輪賽後記者會

A. RODDICK/M. Safin
7-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6

Q. Start with your thoughts on the match.
開始跟大家談談你對這場比賽的想法吧

MARAT SAFIN: Well, I had everything in my hands. I mean, the first set was a very important one for me. If I was a break up, if I would have won the first one, I think I would have had more chance and I would be a little bit more comfortable on the court and a little bit more confident. But unfortunately I lost my opportunity. And then even losing the second set, then he was a little bit more pumped up than me because it took me a little bit down, the first one, the opportunity there.
我有準備﹐手上武器也充分也有機會的。我是說﹐第一盤實在很關鍵﹐如果那時持續領先一個破發﹐如果就這樣拿下第一盤﹐我想我會更有把握﹐心裡比較踏實也較有信心﹐但不幸地﹐我錯失良機﹐而且又再失掉一盤﹐他便一股作氣上來了﹐而我卻有些沮喪﹐那個第一盤﹐那個可貴的機會..

Q. How is your hand? Do you feel any pain?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, no, I can survive (laughter).
手傷還好﹐還痛嗎
MS 不了﹐我還能活啦(笑)

Q. Do it get caught underneath you when you went for that volley, or how did you actually do it on the court?
你去救那個截擊時被絆住了嗎﹐到底發生什麼事

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, jumping because I slide on the surface and it took off my skin.
是阿﹐我滑倒﹐皮就磨破了

Q. What about the rain and the discussion with the referee?
有關於下雨及你對於審判的爭執

MARAT SAFIN: This is the kind of thing that I'm so disappointed with the officials that I can't imagine how to describe what I feel. Right at that moment because you're feeling really that you have no chance of winning or prove something to them, because they just -- they are so -- they have been so pathetic on this subject. It was a joke. And I really am just so disappointed that really, the people, they are so blind, they don't want to see anything, and I'm just going to say it in front of everybody because it's a nonsense for me.
對於賽會主辦人員這樣處理我實在非常失望﹐真不知能說什麼。在那時﹐他們覺得反正我爭不贏﹐也提不出有力證據﹐因為他們﹐他們實在﹐在應變這種情況.... 很沒用﹐開玩笑的。我只是很難過﹐真的﹐那些人﹐怎麼像瞎了似的﹐也不想去正視或面對事實﹐我就是要在眾人面前說出來﹐因為簡直荒謬至極

Because they were cleaning the court from inside, but nobody cleaned the court outside. And it had been like really wet. And I'm showing to them. And the guys are saying, No, you have to play. Why I have to play? Why I have to put my health in doubt? Because we're using all the court. And if I slip and if I get injured and if something happens... No, you have to play. I said, No, I'm not playing.
他們只有清理內場﹐沒人去管外場﹐外場很濕﹐我也指給他們看了。那些傢伙竟然說﹐不管﹐你就是要上場打。為什麼我要上場呢﹐為什麼我非得把自己健康當兒戲呢。我們可是滿場跑的﹐如果我滑倒了﹑受傷了或發生什麼意外﹐怎麼辦...."不管﹐你得上場。" 我說﹐不可能﹐我不願意。

They said no, started counting. Because the guy comes and says for me it's not wet. The guy never played tennis in his entire life. He comes with the shoes that aren't even tennis shoes, and he's telling me and I'm professional and I know when it's wet and when it's not wet, and he's telling me it's not wet. How ridiculous and how the person just can be this way?
And of course the time is counting. And the guy, of course, proving to everybody that he is the guy who is ruling and he is the guy working for ITF and he can put me fine or whatever I say. If I am saying something with the F word or something he doesn't like, then I get a fine and I'm getting the warning and then the penalty point. Eventually of course I've got a warning because he says I said F word. I said, yeah, whatever, everybody says (laughter).
So anyway, it was really, really pathetic what they did today.
他們就是不處理﹐開始倒數計時。那個傢伙進來只淡淡地說他沒覺得濕﹐他這輩子也沒打過網球﹐進來時穿的鞋也不是網球鞋﹐他自己為是告訴我。我是職業球員﹐場地濕或乾自然再清楚不過了﹐他竟然就告訴我沒濕。太離譜了﹐一個人怎麼會如此。當然時間開始倒數﹐那傢伙證明他才是主宰者﹐他是網球聯盟的官員﹐也可以馬上罰我﹐或我說錯了什麼。如果我吐出了那個F 字眼或者不中聽的話﹐我會被罰款﹑然後警告﹑罰分。最後我還是被警告了﹐他說我講了F 字眼。我只是回他﹐隨便﹐誰沒講過這個字阿(笑)。總之﹐他們今天的處理方式簡直無可救藥。

Q. How close to the court were the patches that you thought were unplayable? How close to the court were they?
不能打還濕濕的地方到底多近? 離場地多近?

MARAT SAFIN: Well, just right outside of the doubles line.
就在雙打區外面阿

Q. Right there?
就在那裡?

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, literally. We should have just wait three, four minutes. It doesn't kill anything. And just the guy, of course -- Andy took the momentum. The guy is absolutely putting me pressure to go and play.
Why I have to suffer? Why I have to just run around when the court is slippery?
It's not like I'm trying to prove something. Just I don't want to play when it's wet. It just takes two minutes to dry. Let's wait and then we'll play. Well, of course, because they're broadcasting on the television, so of course they have to put pressure on the players to move the match.
I'm sorry, but just two minutes doesn't make anything. So they can put another commercial . What's the big deal?
是阿﹐我們只要再等三四分鐘﹐沒有影響的。只是那傢伙﹐當然﹐那時ANDY 氣勢上來了。那傢伙逼著我一定要馬上上場。為什麼我要冒風險﹐為什麼場地很滑我還是非得比賽不可。我又不是在爭執什麼論點﹐只不過不願意場地仍然滑還冒然比賽。只需兩分鐘去擦乾﹐等一下﹐那麼我們就上去了。當然啦﹐他們在電視轉播﹐所以施加壓力給選手快點進行比賽。但﹐很抱歉﹐兩分鐘真那麼難嗎﹐他們可以先放個廣告﹐到底有什麼大不了的?

Q. At one stage it looked like you had two opponents, Andy and the umpire, given those sort of circumstances. But did you try and get over it rather quickly and refocus on the match or did it bother you for a while because I noticed at a couple of points the umpire called a ball out and then it was challenged and it was actually in, and it happened on two occasions.
有段時間在那樣的情況之下﹐你像是有兩個敵人﹐ANDY 跟主審。你有否試著忘掉它繼續專心比賽﹐還是你久久困擾著... 因為我發現有兩次﹐主審喊了出界你挑戰﹐而球確實是進的。

MARAT SAFIN: Well, he's a really nice guy outside of the court. Nothing against anybody. But on the court, you have to stop with this thing of I'm your friend. We are out of the court, and we have to forget it. He's getting paid for this. I'm getting paid for what I'm doing. We have to deal with the situation. Then he's overruling the ball that is in. So if you are so sure, it must be out, but he's overruling the linesman. The ball is going 250 kilometers per hour. He's overruling. I am challenging the ball is in. And he says, Listen, I made a mistake. So in this case, what should I do? Put him a fine? No, I cannot do that.
場外他是個好人喔﹐對他我沒有偏見。但是在場上﹐你不能跟我來這套-我們是朋友嘛。如果我們下場﹐就要忘記一切了。他拿薪水辦事﹐我也是﹐所以事情一定要辦好。明明一個好球﹐他改判出界.......如果你很確定﹐那就真的是出界﹐他卻是改判線審﹐球速250公里左右﹐他改判﹐我挑戰證實是進的。然後他說﹐聽好啦﹐我犯了一個錯。像這樣無奈的情況﹐我能怎麼辦? 罰他錢嗎﹐我又不能。

Whatever I was saying, what I was saying in Russian, he's saying, Listen, be careful what you're saying. So he's all over me and all over every person who's playing on the edge of doing something wrong. He's already putting you pressure.
And then afterwards they are complaining that we're not showing any emotion. So where is this barrier to make sure that we have and everybody understands? Afterwards we're fighting because we're not showing anything, and then we are fighting on the court because we are showing too much.
不管我喃喃什麼﹐那是俄語﹐他告訴我﹐注意你的談話。所以他打壓著我﹐搞得我幾乎要失控﹐他就這麼施加壓力。然後呢﹐他們又會抱怨怎麼我們在場上一點情緒也露﹐面無表情﹔到底界線在畫在哪邊能確保大家瞭解我們在想什麼呢?我們沒有表情﹐所以我們開始奮戰﹐努力奮戰全力投入時﹐又說我們太過作秀。

Q. It looked to me as if he was trying to prove he was right.
在我看來﹐他好像要證明他是對的

MARAT SAFIN: But just in a way I wanted to get out of the situation that I was a little bit too much in a match and I was getting a little bit too nervous about it. So it kind of was also a subject for me just to loosen up a little bit, shout at him and whatever (laughter). And getting a warning, I think, was pretty good, and I had my opportunity. But just the fact it was a little bit too much for this kind of a match and full crowd. Andy was playing great. We both were playing great.
What I was asking was just for two minutes of a pause and that's it, and give us a little bit of a chance just to rest. What's the big deal?
其實我也想脫離爭執﹐因為我太投入﹐搞得自己有些緊張。所以﹐當時也該適時放鬆﹑釋放一下壓力啦﹐只好對他吼一吼或幹嘛囉 (笑)﹐之後就被警告了﹐我想﹐很好阿﹐我也逮住機會了。只是這樣全場爆滿的比賽變成如此是過頭了 (這裡他語焉有些不詳...我只好自己琢磨了)。ANDY 打得很好﹐我們都打得很好。我要求的不過是兩分鐘而已﹐讓我們也能藉此喘息﹐有那麼大不了嗎

Q. Thankfully it moved on and the match was very good.
還好比賽進行下去而且十分精彩

MARAT SAFIN: Thank you for that.
謝謝你的肯定

Q. Do you see differences or improvement in Roddick since the last time you played him?
跟上次交手比較﹐你查覺到ANDY 有何不同或進步嗎

MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, well, he's more solid. At first, he couldn't volley. He was having a lot of problems with his backhand even the one he just was playing crosscourt. Right now the guy is moving. You have to move him around to be able to catch the backhand on the run. Otherwise he's very confident, very solid player from the baseline. Jimmy, I think he did a great job and he's putting pressure. He's trying to go to the net. And I think he's -- Jimmy, he's doing a pretty good job with him.
是阿﹐他更紮實了。以前﹐他不太能截擊﹐反拍有問題-甚至只是打個對角線球。現在﹐他移位敏捷﹐你要用力調動讓他不得不在跑動中打反拍﹐反正他很有自信﹐底線也穩。我覺得JIMMY(ANDY的教練)的確帶得很好﹐ANDY 不斷在進攻﹐頻頻上網﹐JIMMY 跟ANDY合作相當成功 。

Q. How close are you to being back at the level you were two years ago?
離兩年前(奪冠時)的狀態還差多少

MARAT SAFIN: Very far (laughter). Unfortunately very far. Because the problem is that I had a very difficult career because I've been injured every second year. So whenever I was playing good, I was getting injured. To come back, the guys are already moving on and improving the game. And Federer is so far away that nobody is going to catch him maybe in 20 years. And Roddick is improving. And Nadal -- I never played against Nadal because I was getting injured and never getting close to him.
The fact of coming back, it's very important to try to come back quickly and try to catch up with other guys. But it takes much longer time, and of course you have to be much stronger mentally, improving, working twice hard as the other guys.
差得太遠了(笑)﹐唉﹐很不幸還早呢。困擾我的就是職業生涯之路太岐嶇了﹐每兩年就受傷。狀態好時﹐就開始傷病。好不容易復出﹐大家早就進步一大截到另一個層次﹐而 FEDERER 是遠遠超越大家﹐大概20年都沒人能趕過他﹐RODDICK 也在進步。還有NADAL呢﹐因為受傷﹐我都還沒有機會跟他接觸或對陣比賽。復出這檔事嘛﹐一定要越快進入狀況跟上別人﹐但是那需要時間呀﹐自然你的意志力要十分堅定﹐持續提昇自己﹐比別人加倍努行才行。

Q. You were saying that the older you get the more you think of goals and that sort of thing. Do you think you thought too much? You seemed really tentative giving the initiative away.
你之前說人越老﹐對於目標之類的事情想越多。你自認想太多嗎? 你好像很猶豫

MARAT SAFIN: When you are starting to feel the momentum, you kind of recede. But sometimes it's a little bit tough for yourself to push it and try to make sure that you are playing more aggressive. Sometimes you wait a little bit for the mistakes so you try and be too smart. The simple thing is that you just have to move, play more aggressive and maybe lower percentage.
But otherwise if you try to make him make any mistakes, unforced errors, it's a little bit less injury, and that's what happened today. I was waiting too much for his mistakes, and that cost me the match.
當你開始覺得氣勢上來了﹐又不自覺退縮﹐然而有時要趁勢再確定自己更積極主動不是三言兩語就成。有時你等待對方失誤你再開始行動﹐自作聰明。其實最基本地﹐你就是要動﹐要進攻﹐即便成功率不高.......否則你就是一味等著對手犯錯﹐那樣比較保險﹑不會受傷﹐今天就是這種光景。我老是在等他失誤﹐結果賠掉了比賽。

Q. Do you think you still have it in you to be a competitor with the best players? It would be a terrible shame if you started to think you weren't.
你心底還相信在頂尖之林有競爭力嗎。如果你已開始自我懷疑﹐那就太糟了

MARAT SAFIN: No, no, no, I'm trying to be positive actually after this match. I'm been very close to win it, and it could be the other way around, that's for sure. I think if I continue this way, just it will start -- it will be better and better, I'm very sure. I'm not on the negative side, that's for sure, but just has to be a little bit of positive activity and more aggressive, and everything is going to be all right.
不﹑不﹑不﹐這場比賽過後﹐我都往正面思考的。這是一場極為接近的較量﹐也可能是我拿下的﹐那無庸置疑。我認為如果自己繼續這樣走下去﹐會越來越入佳境﹐我很確定的。我並不悲觀﹐真的﹐只是我要再加強﹑更積極﹐那麼最後定能水到渠成。

Q. How tired were you at the end of the fourth set? How were your legs feeling?
第四盤結束後有多累? 雙腳覺得如何

MARAT SAFIN: After the first I was pretty tired. But then after the second I was pretty good. Fourth I was there, but just everything that fall on my head, opportunities, fighting with everybody, the chair umpires, getting the warnings, that kind of... Physically I was pretty okay.
第一盤打完後我挺累的﹐但第二盤之後我就感覺很好了。第四盤﹐我也盡力在拚﹐只是腦子裡﹐想到錯失的機會﹐跟別人吵來吵去﹐又被警告﹐一大堆亂七八糟的想法湧上來.......那真是......不過體能上我蠻OK的。

End of FastScript

• 2nd round Marat bt D. Sela

(26) Marat Safin (Russia)	6	5	4	7	6
(q) Dudi Sela (Israel)	3	7	6	6	0

Marat is one of the friendliest players on the tour.
He always signs as many as he can!!!!!


waiting for a big change during rain delay




Happy female fans holding Marat's head and not letting go,
Marat giving them towels as gifts for cheering for him!!!



















2nd round post match--An interview with: MARAT SAFIN
第二輪過關後記者會

The first four sets were a bit of a struggle. The rain came and then you dominated. What was the story of the match?
前面四盤你陷於苦戰﹐一場雨後﹐你便主導了比賽﹐到底是怎麼一回事

Well, I kind of was playing pretty well, actually the first set and a half, and I was serving for -- I think I was serving for the second set, and then I just lost a little bit the rhythm of the match and I lost a little bit -- yeah, the rhythm. And then I was struggling for about two sets, then I couldn't understand what to do and I couldn't really serve. I was struggling on my serve, couldn't return his. And whatever I was doing, he was making passing shots all the way around the court, running around, making great -- he was full of energy, great spirit, and I just couldn't find the key. And then the rain came and changed everything because otherwise I don't think I would win if the rain doesn't come. I was lost.
嗯﹐第一盤及第二盤前半段我打得很好﹐第二盤也正發球拿下﹐不知怎著突就失去節奏了。之後的兩盤我非常掙扎﹐不知所措﹐也發不了球。自己的球發不好﹐接發也沒頭緒﹐之後不管我採用什麼戰術 ﹐他總是滿場跑﹐一球一球穿越﹐表現優異﹐體力充沛﹐士氣高昂﹐我卻是一點辦法也沒有。之後開始下起雨﹐及時雨逆轉了一切﹐如果沒有那場雨﹐我不可能贏的。

What did you say to yourself in the break when the rain was coming?
在下雨暫停期間﹐你對自己如何心理喊話

No, just that the most important thing is just to go to the tiebreak, and the tiebreak is just a different story. He's not really a big server, and I would have my opportunities, and that's what happened. I served wide, perfect, and then it give me a little bit of confidence and then it went to a tiebreak and I knew already that I would have to push a little bit and everything is going to be all right.
沒什麼﹐只知最重要的是要撐過去掙取搶七﹐搶七之後故事可能改寫。他不是個大炮發球員﹐我會有機會的﹐而最後就真的這麼發生了。我發外角﹐很棒的發球﹐一瞬間信心上來了﹐就進入搶七﹐那時我意識到自己要積極搶功﹑施加壓力﹐那樣就對了。

How aware were you that the rain was coming? Could you feel that the rain was coming?
你意識到會下雨﹐你感覺天氣將有變化嗎

Well, it start drizzling a little bit before, and then it stopped. Actually I couldn't see the ball because I asked for the lights because it started to get dark and I cannot really see very well. It was tough conditions and I was trying to make some changes, just something to change because of the way everything was going. And on the same -- down the highway, one-way ticket, and there was no chance for me to break him. So I asked for the lights. I asked them to stop the match because it was really a little bit slippery, so I just wanted to stop the match. I wasn't an @!#$, but (laughter) I used the opportunity.
嗯﹐一開始是毛毛細雨﹐之後停了。那時我看不到球﹐天色也有些暗﹐我要求開燈﹐我覺得視線不清。那時陷入僵局﹐我一直試著要突破﹐突破那樣的頹勢。可是就好想是單程車票般﹐坐上車都回不來似的﹐我就是破不了他。所以我要求開燈﹐之後要求停賽﹐因為場地開始越來越滑﹐我不想繼續。我不是個 $@%$ (笑笑)﹐不過我適時利用了這個機會。

You used it to your advantage?
你利用這個機會﹐對你有利 ?

Yeah, but it was reasonable.
嗯﹐但是那是相當合理的。

You've beaten Andy Roddick in the semifinal in Moscow in September. Do you think that might have an influence on your third-round match over here?
九月在莫斯科半決賽你打敗RODDICK﹐那對於第三輪的對陣有影響嗎

Well, it's a different story. It's not Davis Cup. It's not clay court. It's a hard court. It's playing pretty well. It's a new season. If it's Roger Federer in exhibition Kooyong he is full of confidence. He struggled a little bit in the first round and today he looked very solid, serving big. But I am already 100 percent into the game and I had two tough matches, so it's kind of also an advantage for me because I already have been running for seven hours on the court and I'm already warmed up.
嗯﹐那是完全不同的情況。這不是戴維斯杯﹐也非紅土﹐而是硬地。他打得好﹐來到新的賽季﹐在庫陽面對FEDERER時﹐充滿信心。第一輪他有些跌跌撞撞﹐但今天卻贏得很紮實﹐大力發球。不過我也進入狀況了﹐經歷了兩場鏖戰﹐對我來說也是好事﹐因為我足足跑了七個小時﹐足夠的暖身了。

You had another experience with rain at this tournament and it worked out well for you, as well, again. Tommy Haas?
在澳網﹐有一次也是下雨﹐你最後也有了好結果。是TOMMY HAAS吧

Yeah. You remember this even (laughter). Yeah, it's kind of surprising. Against Tommy it came down all of a sudden. I couldn't even expect. And then all of a sudden it rained and they closed the roof and it was a completely different ballgame. The same like today, just -- I was lucky it started to rain a little bit stronger, because before like I said it was drizzling a little bit and they didn't want to close the roof. So this time I said, No chance. I'm not going to play. I'm not going to risk it, and I just took advantage.
沒錯﹐你還記得阿(笑)。是﹐那有點意外。對HAAS 時﹐我一時熄了火﹐都不知有什麼轉機﹐結果突然天空下起雨來﹐他們關起屋頂﹐情勢變成大逆轉。今天也是一樣﹐我很幸運﹐又下雨了越下越大﹐因為如我剛所說﹐一開始只是細雨﹐他們不願意關屋頂。後來雨漸漸大﹐我說這樣的情況我不願意進行下去。我不想冒險﹐也幸運地取得一些優勢

What's the dynamic with you and Andy? How does the match decide itself? How does it play out?
你跟RODDICK 的比賽是怎樣的對陣呢﹐勝負取決於什麼

Well, he improved his game. He changed a little bit. He started to improve his backhand, and he's playing a little bit more solid. Other than that, he's using more his serve and he's not running around the baseline. He's trying to go forward and take position at the net. So I don't know, it's very important for us, for both of us, I guess, who is going to be more aggressive at the beginning of the match and who will take the opportunities and who will choke first (laughter). So it's kind of interesting match for both of us. I think he's looking forward. I think he was watching my match and studying me as well as I was studying him, and hopefully it's going to be interesting. I'm pretty sure it's going to be a late match. So let's see how it goes.
他的狀態提昇了﹐也改變了戰術風格。他加強了反拍﹐越打越穩健﹐不只如此﹐他懂得運用發球優勢﹐也不再一味停留底線﹐會隨球上網。所以﹐我真的不知道﹐下一場比賽對我們兩個都很關鍵﹐所以誰會先打出氣勢﹐把握機會﹐誰會先抽風就決定一切(微笑)﹐對我們兩人而言都是場有意思的比賽。我覺得他的視野開闊往前看了﹐在看我的比賽並研究我的打法﹐我也一樣在研究他的戰略﹐希望會是場有趣的競賽。我相信將是場拉距戰﹐我們且看結果如何吧。

These two particular five-setters, how do you feel physically?
兩場五盤硬仗﹐生理上感覺還好嗎

Like I said, warmed up. Well, I'm not really tired, but these kind of matches actually gives me opportunity. Maybe it's a little bit too long, but otherwise I would need one or two matches like this to get the rhythm of the game. Because I lost it a little bit and I was struggling in the first match with the rhythm, and I was all the time making -- I was in the wrong place all the time. I couldn't see the ball right and I couldn't move, and I was a little bit too nervous, like too stiff. And today was completely different. I started to hit the ball pretty well. We were playing around, volleys, serving, that sort of thing. I think it gave me some kind of a confidence, but I'm not tired.
如我剛說的﹐熱身。嗯﹐我並不是很累﹐這樣的比賽的確給我暖身的機會。也許耗時久了些﹐但若不是如此我可能還要一到兩場這種層次的比賽來適應並打出節奏。像第一輪﹐我狀態不好﹐而整場比賽﹐我好像都不能到位﹐球判斷不準﹐腳法也亂七八糟﹐真的有點太緊張了﹐全身僵硬。今天完全不一樣﹐一開始我就打得很好。我們互相調動﹑上網﹑發球﹐什麼把戲都來。這些都給我更多信心﹐我不覺得疲累。

Can you compare the coaches, Volkov against Jimmy Connors?
你怎麼比較VOLKOV (SAFIN 的教練)跟 JIMMY CONNORS (RODDICK 的教練)

Well, Volkov beat him once and he retired after this match (laughter). Both lefties, both talented players. Of course Jimmy achieved much more. But I think they have pretty similar view of tennis because of the things that Connors is doing with Andy is pretty similar that Alex wants to do with me. So I guess it's all generation classics and same era of tennis.
嗯﹐VOLKOV 曾擊敗 CONNORS 一次﹐這場比賽後跟著退休了(笑)。兩個人都是左撇子﹐都極具天份。當然﹐CONNORS 成就遠勝過VOLKOV。不過我想﹐他們兩看待網球都有相同觀點﹐因為CONNORS 指導RODDICK 的方向就跟 VOLKOV 對我的一樣。他們都是一代的精英﹐同一個時期的網球。

So he wants you to move ahead all the time then, Alex?
所以VOLKOV 叫你要常常上網嗎

Yeah, well, there's not much you can do from the baseline, because from the baseline everyone is playing pretty well. There's a lot of guys that they can stay forever, so there is no fun for me also to run around with 1 meter 95 for running around to the baseline at the age of 27. Looks a little bit ridiculous. So to make my life a little bit easier and to use my height and my serve a little bit to put a little bit of pressure and to try to look for something at the net even though they are passing me on that, but at least be more aggressive and look for the life at the net, not at the baseline.
是呀﹐嗯﹐在底線你不能有什麼作為﹐因為現在大家底線基本功夫都很好。有很多球員能一直留在場上死纏都不停﹐滿場跟著他們跑對我這個1米95又已經27歲的傢伙會很慘﹐也太慌謬了。所以﹐如果想讓自己好過些﹐就要利用身高及發球的優勢﹐並且主動進攻﹐找到空檔就多上網去﹐即便他們會打穿越球也要勇於嘗試.....總之﹐起碼要積極凶猛些﹐在網前找機會﹐而不是在底線。

Had you seen Sela before, and were familiar with his game? How familiar were you with his ability?
你遇過SELA 嗎﹐他的打法跟現在類似嗎。你對他的能力瞭解多少

Well, I knew he was a really good junior. He warmed me up maybe four or five years ago in Roland Garros before a match, and afterwards, I never saw him. All of a sudden he appeared here. He qualified to beat Srichaphan. He's a very decent player. He's kind of similar to Rochus, but great talent, good legs. He sees the ball pretty early and he knows what he's doing. Pretty smart and he's using his advantages.
我知道他是個優秀的青少年球員。在四五年前的法網一場比賽前﹐他跟我練習﹐之後我就沒再見過他﹐突然他出現在這兒﹐通過資格賽﹐並擊敗Srichaphan。是個基本功很了的的球員﹐他就像ROCHUS一樣﹐有天賦﹐腳程快速﹐預判精準﹐頭腦清晰﹐非常的聰明﹐也十分懂得發揮自己的專長。

Will you be getting a chance to watch your sister play at all this week?
這周有機會看妹妹打球嗎

Well, yeah, if she's playing in -- if they're going to show it on TV. I'm looking forward. But I didn't see her this morning.
會阿﹐如果她打﹐電視也有轉播的話﹐我很期待她的比賽。不過今早我沒看到她。

How well do you think she'll go this year?
你覺得今年她會順利嗎

Well, I know what kind of a draw she has. She won the tournament the first week of the year. She beat Hingis. I saw that match, and I think she's doing pretty well with her coach. She improved a lot. She's top ten, and I'm pretty sure she's fit and she's ready to win, and I think she can go far.
嗯﹐我知道她的簽表。今年第一周她便贏得一個冠軍﹐打敗HINGIS。我看了那場比賽﹐她跟教練搭檔地很有默契﹐進步好多。現在是前十﹐我相信只要她臨場狀態好就會贏球﹐未來可以走更遠。

How many five-setters do you think you have in your body at this tournament?
你覺得澳網自己能應付幾場五盤大賽?

As many as I need to win (laughter). Getting better.
需要多少才能贏就打多少場(笑)﹐漸入佳境。

Seven?
七場?

No problem. If you get me to the final, I will run as many as you want.
沒問題﹐如果你能讓我進決賽﹐要我怎麼跑我都願意。

I don't think you've ever lost a five-setter here.
好像在這裡你從未輸過五盤大賽

Well, let's knock on wood.
嗯﹐希望好運持續下去囉

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

• 1st round Marat df B. Becker

(26) Marat Safin (Russia)	5	7	3	6	6
Benjamin Becker (Germany)	7	6	6	3	4

1RD Post-match conference and photos
第一輪記者會及照片

Q. Do you like these late-night matches?
MARAT SAFIN: Not really fun.
Q 喜歡這樣很晚的比賽嗎
MS 不是太喜歡

Q. Not really fun?
MARAT SAFIN: No.
Q 不好玩嗎
MS 一點也不

Q. You have a knack of giving the fans good value for money at that time of night.
MARAT SAFIN: Half of them, they left after the first two sets with us it was quite boring. We had to stay. I cannot say it was really a beautiful match, but it was a lot of fighting. I guess some people that stayed, they really enjoyed it.
Q 今天來看你的球迷可真是值回票價啦
MS 有一半的人﹐在兩盤之後就離我們而去﹐實在很無聊﹐可是我們又非留下來不可。我不能說這是場精彩的比賽﹐不過有不少纏鬥﹐留下來的球迷應該還覺得挺享受的。

Q. Given you're still on the comeback from injuries last year, do you think it's good to get a five-setter under your belt early in the tournament?
MARAT SAFIN: It's kind of difficult to play. I've been injured for such a long time. There's a lot of things that really are giving me some trouble, for me to stay and for me to start the year, start to move on the court in a tournament. It's completely different to the practice. Once you're injured with the knee, it takes a little bit of time to get used to the movement on the courts, the tough conditions. A five-set match, actually last set I played pretty well. Hopefully everything will go okay and I'm moving all right. But it's -- even a little bit unlucky tonight you can lose this match, so...
Q 你還在傷病復出漸漸爬昇的階段﹐在比賽前幾輪打五盤大賽有益表現嗎
MS 很困難呀﹐都傷那麼久了。有很多事深深困擾著我﹐我得等待到今年年初﹐開始在球場競賽。練習跟比賽是完全兩回事﹐如果你膝蓋有傷﹐在場上移位腳法都有一陣子才能適應﹐不容易。這場五盤賽﹐最後一盤我打得很好...希望未來順利﹐而我也能夠自由奔跑--雖然今晚運氣不太好差點都要輸球了﹐所以......

Q. Were there stages tonight where you thought you were going to lose it?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. Well, after third set, I couldn't really find my game. I didn't believe in myself that I could pull this one off. I was lucky. He missed a couple of shots. Maybe it's a little bit lack of experience, so I took advantage of this. When I had my chance, I took them. He made a couple of easy mistakes that he shouldn't have. They were unnecessary mistakes from him. He just threw the balls out, forehand, backhand, that was it. It was a break without doing anything.
Q 比賽中有哪些時候你覺得自己快要輸掉了嗎
MS 是阿﹐嗯﹐在第三盤之後﹐我真的打不出節奏﹐也不相信自己能撐過去。我有點運氣﹐他犯了些失誤﹐也許是我經驗較豐富﹐所以把握住機會了﹐當我有機會時﹐我沒放掉﹐他犯了些不該犯的失誤﹐可惜的失誤﹐他就這麼正手﹑反手把球都打飛掉了﹐我也沒什麼大作為便破發他。

Q. You've come here before off long-term injuries, time-outs, had to play some long matches, then made it to the final. Do you draw confidence from that for this campaign?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, hopefully. Hopefully this match will give me enough confidence to keep on going, because the other match is going to be tough. The guy beat Srichaphan. The draw is pretty tough, so these kind of matches, sooner or later you need to, because these kind of matches, they give you the confidence.
Q 你曾經也因為傷病休養很久復出﹐一路艱辛地打多盤大賽﹐最後殺決賽。從那次的經驗可曾獲得自信
MS 希望是這樣。希望這場比賽能給我足夠的信心走下去﹐因為接下來的挑戰更困難﹐那球員打敗Srichaphan﹐簽表看起來也挺嚇人的﹐因此這樣的比賽﹐你總會從中累積出信心的。

Q. Pretty good record in five sets. When you lose in the fifth set, it's close. Do you go to a fifth set with a special frame of mind?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, kind of. I don't know for some reason I'm going to the fifth set a little bit more positive than I used to be before for some reason. But today, this kind of match, I knew I will have a chance in the fifth set because the guy started to be a little bit tired. He started to make a little bit easy mistakes, like shooting the forehand and the backhand. He was not serving as hard as he was serving at the beginning of the first couple of sets. I knew that I just have to stay with him. I would say that I was not a hundred percent today on the court. I was missing a lot of shots. Movement was terrible. But then in the end of fourth, fifth set, I started to move a little better because he slowed down. For me, this kind of match gives me a little bit of confidence and get used to the courts, to the speed of the ball. Fifth set, just have to stay there against this kind of player because sooner or later they going to snap because they don't have enough, I would say, experience because he's a newcomer. He didn't play really a lot of matches with fifth set. I have to take advantage of this.
Q 你的五盤比賽戰績很不錯﹐即便輸球也都很接近。當你面臨這樣的比賽﹐心態是什麼
MS 嗯﹐好像是。自己也不知為什麼﹐現在比賽若要進入第五盤我的想法比以前正面多了。今天﹐這樣的比賽﹐我很清楚第五盤會有希望的﹐因為感覺對手開始漸漸疲累了﹐發球不像前幾盤那麼凶猛。我知道只要自己撐住就有機會﹐今天我的狀態 不在100%﹐不只失誤連連﹐移位也糟﹐不過進入到第四盤後段﹐我越來越順暢而他卻慢了下來。對我而言﹐這樣五盤賽事不只提昇自信﹐也幫助我更適應場地和球速。第五盤﹐就是穩住陣腳﹐因為對方是新秀經驗不夠﹐早晚會出差錯的。他並沒有打過太多五盤三勝的比賽﹐所以我趁虛而入拿下比賽。

Q. You said your movement was not that good. Was that the explanation, why you were a little bit off with your forehands?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, yeah. Forehand was terrible today. Just nervous, like a normal person. Because you want to do well, it's a new year. Last year was terrible from the beginning till almost the end of it. Starting from a blank list, you want to do well. The expectations are a little bit too high. Maybe the bar is a little bit too high. Maybe you just want to get through the first round. Of course, you start to be nervous.
Q 你說自己移位不佳......這也是你正手老是出問題的原因嗎
MS 是阿。今天的正拍好糟﹐就是很緊張﹐像個平凡人一樣緊張呀。你想要好好表現﹐這是一年的開始。去年從年初到年尾幾乎都很慘。 今年是嶄新的賽季﹐你想有個好的開始﹐自己期許太高﹐也許期許過高吧。也許只是想通過第一輪﹐當然﹐想到這些就忍不住緊張起來了。

Q. Do you feel like you're the defending champion?
MARAT SAFIN: No, far away. I just want to try to break through to the top 20. Just it's tough because really so many years on tour you start to think a little bit too much. When you're young, you don't think about things that you are thinking at age of 28, 26, 27. That's why it's difficult to play when you're getting older.
Q 你覺得自己像是衛冕冠軍者嗎
MS 不﹐還差遠呢。我只想突破前20。不過似乎很難阿﹐大概因為你巡迴很多年﹐隨著時間你越想越多。年輕氣盛時你很單純﹐不會像26﹑27﹑28歲的人想東想西。所以年紀愈大﹐比賽是愈加困難的。

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Pre-Match Interview Pictures
澳網開賽前記者會照片

Super big pic link for this pic

Super Big Link for this pic
Super Big Link for this Pic



MAIN DRAW

簽表如下

Roger Federer SUI (1) vs. Bjorn Phau GER
Jonas Bjorkman SWE vs. Olivier Patience FRA
Simon Greul GER vs. Yen-Hsun Lu TPE
Jan Hernych CZE vs. Mikhail Youzhny RUS (25)
Juan Carlos Ferrero ESP (24) vs. Jan Hajek CZE
Danai Udomchoke THA vs. Martin Vassallo Arguello ARG
Feliciano Lopez ESP vs. QUALIFIER
Nicolas Massu CHI vs. Novak Djokovic SRB (14)
Marcos Baghdatis CYP (11) vs. Rainer Schuettler GER
Gael Monfils FRA vs. Daniele Bracciali ITA
Gilles Simon FRA vs. Amer Delic USA
Filippo Volandri ITA vs. Richard Gasquet FRA (18)
Jose Acasuso ARG (27) vs. Sam Querrey USA (WC)
Florent Serra FRA vs. Nicolas Devilder FRA
Ivo Karlovic CRO vs. Jurgen Melzer AUT
Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo ESP vs. Tommy Robredo ESP (7)

薩芬的1/4區
Ivan Ljubicic CRO (4) vs. Mardy Fish USA
Nicolas Mahut FRA vs. Juan Monaco ARG
Stefan Koubek AUT vs. Wayne Arthurs AUS (WC)
QUALIFIER vs. Agustin Calleri ARG (30)
Radek Stepanek CZE (20) vs. Michael Llodra FRA
Lukas Dlouhy CZE vs. QUALIFIER
Thomas Johansson SWE vs. QUALIFIER
Kristian Pless DEN vs. David Ferrer ESP (16)
Mario Ancic CRO (9) vs. Go Soeda JPN (WC)
Joachim Johansson SWE vs. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez ESP
Vincent Spadea USA vs. Igor Andreev RUS
Jiri Vanek CZE vs. Dominik Hrbaty SVK (22)
Marat Safin RUS (26) vs. Benjamin Becker GER
QUALIFIER vs. Paradorn Srichaphan THA
Marc Gicquel FRA vs. Alun Jones AUS (WC)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga FRA (WC) vs. Andy Roddick USA (6)

David Nalbandian ARG (8) vs. Janko Tipsarevic SRB
QUALIFIER vs. Nicolas Lapentti ECU
Chris Guccione AUS (WC) vs. Olivier Rochus BEL
Christophe Rochus BEL vs. Sebastien Grosjean FRA (28)
Robin Soderling SWE (23) vs. Florian Mayer GER
Andreas Seppi ITA vs. QUALIFIER
QUALIFIER vs. QUALIFIER
Albert Montanes ESP vs. Tommy Haas GER (12)
Tomas Berdych CZE (13) vs. Hyung-Taik Lee KOR
QUALIFIER vs. Robert Smeets AUS (WC)
Max Mirnyi BLR vs. Luis Horna PER
QUALIFIER vs. Dmitry Tursunov RUS (21)
Xavier Malisse BEL (29) vs. Arnaud Clement FRA
Fabrice Santoro FRA vs. Igor Kunitsyn RUS
Gilles Muller LUX vs. Gaston Gaudio ARG
Sergio Roitman ARG vs. Nikolay Davydenko RUS (3)

James Blake USA (5) vs. Carlos Moya ESP
Peter Luczak AUS (WC) vs. QUALIFIER
QUALIFIER vs. QUALIFIER
Robby Ginepri USA vs. Nicolas Almagro ESP (32)
Lleyton Hewitt AUS (19) vs. QUALIFIER
Frank Dancevic CAN vs. Victor Hanescu ROM
Juan Martin Del Potro ARG vs. Alessio Di Mauro ITA
Evgeny Korolev RUS vs. Fernando Gonzalez CHI (10)
Andy Murray GBR (15) vs. Alberto Martin ESP
Fernando Verdasco ESP vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu FRA
Juan Ignacio Chela ARG vs. Potito Starace ITA
Paul Goldstein USA vs. Jarkko Nieminen FIN (17)
Stanislas Wawrinka SUI (31) vs. Kevin Kim USA
Julien Benneteau FRA vs. QUALIFIER
Kristof Vliegen BEL vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber GER
Robert Kendrick USA vs. Rafael Nadal ESP (2)