I can't stand the word "celebrity"
我受不了"名人"這樣的字眼!!!!
by Igor Rabiner of Sport Express newspaper
(俄國運動報記者Igor Rbiner)
A reporter’s life is full of sudden surprises. You come to a little Ukrainian restaurant next to Tsvetnoy Boulevard to have lunch without a tape recorder and a notebook, you look at the table next to you and suddenly see Marat Safin.You get slightly surprised - this place is nice but it’s nothing ultra fashionable. As any regular person I would think people of such calibre should go to ‘special’ places but Safin is here, quietly having a bite to eat in a very regular restaurant (for the most curious readers I state that Marat was alone and not drinking alcohol). The tennis player, who has grown a lot of hair and a little beard recently, is polite with waiters and talks to them in a half-whispering manner not wanting to be noticed.
身為一名記者﹐生活總是充滿著各種驚喜。 你來到一個烏克蘭小餐館﹐沒帶錄音機或隨身電腦﹐你朝四周瞧瞧赫然發現MARAT SAFIN就坐在你旁邊。你會覺得有點驚訝﹐因為這是個不錯的地方﹐但一點也不起眼。如同一般人所想的﹐重量級的人物應該都會去特別的地方﹐然而薩芬卻在 這裡﹐靜靜地在一個很普通的小餐館吃東西(報告給好奇的讀者﹐MARAT是獨自一個人在那裡﹐而且也沒喝酒喔)。這個頭髮最近變長也留了鬍子的網球手對服 務生很有禮貌﹐因不想引起注意所以對他們總是輕聲細語。
Your journalistic nature tells you - you cannot let this chance slip! It doesn’t matter that Safin is known for his unfriendly attitude towards journalists and that you mainly write about football only watching tennis simply as a spectator. But then again Safin likes football too - he once said in an interview that he dreams about ‘Spartak’s’ victory in the Champions League and in June, 2005 he rushed from his tournament in Munchengladbach for just one night to watch a Russia-Germany match and after that he visited the changing room of our team. Behavioural norms were not violated by a Sport Express journalist - I waited until Safin finished his meal, went up and introduced myself and got an agreement to do an interview right away. Three days later instead of the pre-agreed 30 minutes we spoke for an hour and a half. And the winner of US Open 2000, Australian Open 2005 and Davis Cup 2002 turned out to be a rather natural and open young man.
你的記者本性不自覺流露出來了﹐怎麼可能讓這個機會失去呢。就算薩芬對記者的態度一貫不好﹐他總覺得記者只愛寫足球只不過偶 而看看網球。不過﹐薩芬本身就是個足球迷﹐他曾在專訪中表示夢想Spartak能夠奪冠﹐而在今年6月時﹐他在Munchengladbach比賽中便溜 出一晚觀賞俄國和德國的比賽並到球隊的更衣室拜訪。我慢慢等待﹐沒有違反記者該有的道德﹐直到他吃完飯才上前自我介紹﹐便馬上得到他接受專訪的應允。三天 之後﹐雖然之前我們的協議是訪談半小時﹐但我們聊了一個半小時。這個2000美網﹑2005網及2002DAVIS CUP的冠軍竟是個十分自然又開朗的青年。
It’s cold and my knee hurts
現在天氣很冷﹐我的膝蓋很疼
Aren’t you scared to gain weight when you have lunch in a Ukrainian restaurant? The food there is very calorie-rich and you haven’t been playing for a few months due to an injury?
你在烏克蘭式餐廳吃飯不怕變胖嗎﹐這種食物可是高熱量的啊﹐而你因為傷勢關係又有好久沒比了不是嗎
Luckily, my body allows me not to be afraid of that. I have only gained two kilos since I stopped playing, now I weigh 95 kilos instead of 93.
幸運地﹐我體質讓我不用擔心這個問題。從我開始停止練習至今只有增重2公斤﹐以前是93公斤現在是95公斤。
Your status doesn’t force you to visit more posh places as they say nowadays?
你現在的地位不會如同人們所講的只能到高級優雅的地方去嗎
Oh, please! I go to this Ukrainian restaurant 3-4 times a week and a friend of mine owns it. Every restaurant of this chain has a huge box for donations, which are used to buy hospital equipment. Once he was skiing in Switzerland and broke his arm really badly. He turned to a doctor named Sergey Arkhipov, who literally put his hand together piece by piece. To thank the doctor my friend came up with this idea. Not so long ago with this money a hospital bought equipment worth 130 thousand euros.
喔﹐拜託! 我每星期到這餐館三四次﹐是我朋友開的。這餐館的連鎖店都有一個捐款箱幫助籌募買醫院設備的資金。我朋友有一次在瑞士滑雪結果手臂嚴重受傷。他去找 SERGEY ARKHIPOV醫師﹐耐心地幫他治療。為了感 謝這位醫師的仁心仁術﹐我朋友才有了這個想法。在不久之前﹐餐廳所募得的資金買了13萬歐元的設備。
As for the status, I cannot stand the word ‘celebrity’ and anything that it might imply. It’s total nonsense. When someone calls a person a celebrity, it’s like they are trying to turn him into a robot. And I am a human being.
至於你提到所謂的地位﹐我真是受不了"名人"這種字眼﹐或者名人所暗示影射的含義﹐那是毫無意義的。當有人被稱為名人﹐就好比人們要把它變成機器人﹐而我﹐是個有血有肉的平凡人。
今年你有個燦爛的開始﹐拿到澳網冠軍﹐之後你放棄不少比賽﹐現在甚至退出年終大師杯。打算什麼時候重返球壇
If everything turns out how the doctors promised, I will start running slowly in two weeks, then in December I will slowly start putting some additional pressure on my body, no weightlifting or anything serious like that. My goal is to pick up good form for the Australian Open where I have a lot of ranking points to defend. I don’t know whether I will have enough time. I am still not allowed to do anything like run, do sharp movements. Even going up the stairs I have to be extremely careful. It’s cold today and my knee hurts. This is a permanent injury and I will never be able to completely get rid of it.
如果事情進行地如醫師判斷一樣的 順利﹐我在兩個禮拜後會慢慢地開始練習﹐之後12月時我會漸漸給身體多一點訓練﹐但不是舉重之類的東西。我的目標是要為明年的澳網保積分之前好好地將自己 調到最佳狀態﹐雖然我不能至定時間是否足夠。現在醫生還是不准我跑步或激烈的運動﹐即便是爬樓梯我都要格外小心。現在天氣很冷﹐我的膝蓋十分疼痛。這個傷 是永久的﹐我一生都沒辦法完全根治。
What’s it called?
是什麼傷
Torn fibres around the kneecap. All pressure passes through these fibres. I played injured for 6 months. I played Roland Garros after painkilling injections of up to 1400/1600 milligrams. It helped at the time but it was impossible not to limp after a match.
膝蓋骨肌纖維撕裂。所有的壓力都會經過這些肌纖維。我帶傷比賽6個月﹐在法網時都要注射高劑量的止痛針。在比賽時止痛針的確有發揮功效﹐在但比賽後我幾乎無法正常走路﹐步履艱難蹣跚。
Is that how you beat Juan Carlos Ferrero in Paris?
這就是你在巴黎如何贏JC的
Yes. This is the same way I won matches in Wimbledon. There my leg would only take two matches.
是啊﹐也是我在溫網贏兩場的方法﹐可惜在溫網我的腳在兩場比賽之後再也不能撐下去了
Do you regret playing injured for so long?
你是否後悔帶傷比賽如此久呢
I had something very similar five years ago. Every time I changed the surface, my knee was hurting and then in a couple of weeks it used to pass. I thought the pain would go away. It started to really hurt during Indian Wells. I was hoping it would be better when we moved to clay. It wasn’t. But I couldn’t get a proper cure - Roland Garros was ahead, Super 9 tournaments in Hamburg and Rome, Wimbledon. You have to play while you can, you cannot escape from it. However, after London I just couldn’t anymore.
在5年前我曾面臨相同的情況﹐每次更換場地我的膝蓋就會痛幾個禮拜﹐然後它們就自然消失了﹐所以這 次我以為也會如此。這次我是從INDIAN WELLS 開始有劇烈疼痛﹐當時希望疼痛能到紅土賽季後減輕﹐但卻沒有。那個時候﹐我沒辦法及時得到妥善的治療﹐法網就在眼前﹐八個大比賽接踵而至-漢堡﹑羅馬及溫 網。能打球時你必須要盡力去打﹐不能逃避﹐只不過﹐在溫網之後﹐我就真的不能再勉強下去了
Rushed to court before it was time
太早回到球場
So you went to Italy to get treatment?
所以你到義大利按受治療
Yes. I had calculated that I could afford missing tournaments for a month/a month and a half. However I obviously rushed out before it was time.
對﹐當時我估計放棄一個月到一個半月的比賽是OK的﹐但很顯然地﹐我太急了時機未到。
Why obviously?
為什麼這麼急
Two reasons. First of all, I had to play, to defend points. US Open was coming up and I had to gain form. In tennis one thing leads to another, it’s like a circle, which you cannot get out from. And even though I had been warned that I had to stay and get treatment for another 2-3 weeks, I took a decision and left. I got on court and ‘finished myself off’. It would be best now to make the treatment a little longer but Australian Open starts in January and I am the defending champion. I will already be out of the top 10 at the beginning of next year and if, in addition to that, I will play badly during this tournament, then I will not be seeded at large tournaments. I cannot allow that to happen even though right now I totally realise that my form in Melbourne will not be super. I will only start playing then.
有兩個原因。首先﹐我要比賽才能保分。美網馬上就 要開始﹐我得調查好狀態。網球是像個巡環﹐一個比賽帶動另一個比賽﹐你無法逃脫。雖然醫師警告要再治療2-3周﹐我決定不再治療離開。我回到球場打場﹐之 後把自己"玩完了"。如同此刻﹐我最好是再治療久一點﹐但澳網明年一月便開打﹐我是今年的冠軍﹐明年開始﹐我排名已經在十名之外了﹐如果我在澳網又表現不 好﹐往後的大比賽將淪為非種子球員。這樣情況千萬要不得的﹐即便我心裡很清楚在明年澳網我的狀態仍然無法達到最好。我只是要從那個時候開始復出打球了。
Let’s get back to your rushing out, what was the second reason?
我們回到你急著返回球場的問題吧﹐第二個理由是什麼呢
There is a huge difference between getting treatment in Moscow and in an unknown city. I knew no one in Bologna and stayed at the hotel. I wanted to howl I was so sick at heart. I hardly speak Italian and then there was this moment when I felt an urge to play. All in all, I couldn’t take it anymore there. I told the doctors I could not stand it any longer and went to Moscow, to my friends and family. And then I returned to court too soon.
在莫斯科治療跟在一個完全漠生的城市治療感覺是很不一樣的。在義大利﹐我沒有朋友住在旅 館裡﹐我真想從心底吶喊自己受傷有多嚴重﹐但我只懂一點點義大利文﹐而在某個時刻我十分渴望再回去打球。總之﹐我受不了了﹐我告訴醫師我不能在待下去便回 到莫斯科親友的懷抱﹐之後我太早回到球場比賽了......
Do you still go to Italy?
你還去義大利嗎
No, I go to a health centre near Kurskaya tube station. They have great specialists there, once in 2 weeks they fixed my hand, which had already made me miss 8 months of tennis. I trust them completely. A diagnosis was the same from everyone – Italians, Americans and our doctors. I had people coming up to me and saying - there is this fantastic doctor, he knows how to cure you. How the hell does this so called doctor know anything if we haven’t even met?
沒有﹐我到莫斯科的某醫學中心治療。 他們有優秀的專家﹐上次讓我離開球場八個月的手傷﹐他們在兩個星期便幫我治癒了﹐所以我完全信任他們。診斷結果都是一樣的﹐不管是義大利﹑美國或這裡的醫 師。常有人跑來告訴我﹐有一個很棒的醫師能治好你﹐但我不懂這個所謂"很棒的醫師"都沒見過我怎麼知道如何治好我呢
How do you know - is it from the money that you have?
怎麼知道(嗯...)會不會是因為知道你有錢
Life has been teaching me to recognise people like that. I make mistakes sometimes but on the whole I am becoming an expert.
我從生活中學會如何看人。有時候我會失準﹐但大體上而言我已經變專家了。
Have you thought of having surgery especially considering that it’s a permanent injury?
因為是永久性的傷﹐你有沒有考慮要動手術
I would have had to miss a whole year. I will be 27 in 2007. Plus I would have to go through hell- crutches, therapy. I think that I won’t be able to return to tennis after this.
如果動手術我勢必一整年都要缺席網壇﹐復出時便是27歲了﹐另外﹐我還要撐柺杖﹐復健治療﹐那麼我想我的職業生涯也將沒了。
They turn us into invalids
他們(ATP)把球手都搞成廢人
I remember your criticism addressed to ATP management with regards to the tournament schedule, which increases levels of injuries.
我記得你曾批評ATP對賽程的安排﹐導致球員不斷地受傷病困擾
Yes, I criticised them. We play non-stop for 11 months a year. We have one month to rest and get ready for the next season. How can we talk about health, rest and personal life? And the system is made in such a way that you have to play tournaments all year round. You cannot take a two week break if you are tired. And tennis balls change every time. Can you imagine football players having to play with balls of different weight all the time? Yes, I am in this business and I don’t want to die. But in addition to that I want to be healthy and I don’t want my colleagues to receive numerous injuries in one year.
沒錯﹐我批判他們。我們一整年打 11個月球都不得休息﹐當喘息一個月後就又要迎戰下一個賽季。這樣的安排怎麼談得上健康﹑休養生息﹑及生活品質? 而他們操作的模式逼使球員不得不整年比賽﹐你無法因為勞累就請假兩個星期之類的。而且官方指定的網球不停在更換﹐你能想像足球員上場比賽每次都用不同重量 的球嗎? 是的﹐我是網球事業的一員﹐但我不想被整死﹐而是要健健康康的﹐另外﹐我不想見到其他的球手終年被傷病所困。
Will I exaggerate if I say that this super tight ATP schedule turns you all into invalids?
如果我說ATP的賽事安排把大家都搞成廢人了會太誇張嗎
No, you won’t, it does. Not even a well-trained person can handle this pressure. That’s why by 30 most players retire.
不會﹐你的確說對了。即使是一個訓練精良的優秀人才也不能因應這樣的壓力﹐也因如此﹐大部分的球員30歲前就不得不退休了。
Then how do you explain the Agassi phenomenon?
那麼﹐你如何解釋阿加西的情況呢
It’s a mystery to us all. Well done, I take my hat off to him. I don’t know his secrets though, we don’t communicate much, there is quite a big age gap.
對我們其他來說﹐這還是個謎。他真的很厲害﹐我摘下帽子向他致敬。不過我不曉得他的祕方﹐我們不是那麼熟﹐畢竟年齡有一段差距。
How do you treat the opinion that your injuries are a result of your tennis routine violations?
人們說你的傷勢源自於你打球常太暴躁(常犯規?),對這樣的評價你自己有何看法
To those people, who think that way I would like to remind them that tennis is my life and my business. All that I have, I owe it to tennis. And I treat my business just the same way as let’s say a chairman of the bank treats his. Will he go to work with a headache and swollen face suffering from a hangover? Neither will I, I cannot abuse something, which is the basis of my lifestyle. And then I play for Russia and not for some Thai Pei, where no one even watches tennis. Here they notice these things right away.
對於這些人﹐我想說﹐網球是我的生命也是我的事業。我現在 所擁用的一切都是因為網球﹐而我處理我的事業的態度跟一個銀行總裁經營公司一樣認真用心。試問這公司老板如果頭痛﹑或因喝酒宿醉臉部浮腫還會去上班嗎? 他不會﹐我也不會的﹐我不會糟蹋自己的生活品質。我會為俄國打球﹐而不是什麼Thai Pei(js: 這是哪裡?)那種沒人看網球的地方。在俄國這裡﹐他們觀察敏銳﹐有什麼事情都馬上知道了。
I am already 25 and not 18 when I could have gone out to play after a party and treated tennis differently. Knowing what kind of money I earn people tend to think that I party every night and don’t give a damn about tennis. This point of view is not only stupid but it is also an insult to me. It is very unpleasant to communicate with people who think like that. It means that this person is ‘spitting in my face’ thinking that I am just lucky because I have the talent. How many of these same talents weren’t able to remain in professional tennis! Take Marcelo Rios for example. When he worked - he was the first, then he stopped taking the business seriously and had to leave. And if I treated tennis in the same manner I would not be around. It was ten years ago that you could reach a final of a serious tournament with just your serve. Now everyone has impeccable preparation, everyone has a whole team behind him. You get into the changing room and look at these guys shirtless and get an impression that you have come to a bodybuilding contest, that’s how much time people spend in gyms with their fitness coaches. You won’t get far with just talent nowadays!
我 已經25歲了﹐18歲年少輕狂我大可以去參加PARTY﹐對網球不太正視。當人們知道我賺了不少錢便以為我一定是夜夜笙歌﹐對網球不屑一顧﹐這樣的批評不 僅是愚蠢﹐簡直對我是一種侮辱﹐跟這種想法的人溝通非常不愉快的。他們好像是朝著我吐口水﹐認為我只不過恰巧幸運有天賦罷了。想想看有多少天才的球員在網 壇卻不能生存!! 舉里奧斯 RIOS (巴西前天才球手)為例﹐當他進入職業生涯時是第一的﹐之後他沒有好好把網球當一回事便被淘汰了﹐如果我也是這樣的態度的話﹐今天我不會還在這裡。十年前 ﹐或許你只要能大力發球便能輕鬆進入決賽﹔現在的球員不只人人準備充份﹐還有整個團隊來支援。如果你進到更衣室會錯以為自己進入健身比賽會場了﹐你便知道 大家花多少時間與健身教練來訓練。現在﹐光有天分﹐你混不了多久的。
What’s more important for you - to be first in tennis or to live a balanced life?
對你來說什麼比較重要﹐稱霸網壇還是過優質的生活?
To be first in tennis and live a balanced life.
稱霸網球並且過優質的生活。
俗話說﹐健康有錢總比貧窮又病痛好
That’s right. I was number 1 for 12 weeks and in the times of Sampras, Kafelnikov, Rafter and even Becker and Korda and Federer and Ferrero have appeared already. I only left that spot when I had torn a ligament. It turned out that 1 is a very tough number. You get this feeling of reaching a ceiling, like you hit something and cannot go higher, and when you’re a bit lower you have something to aim at.
正是。 當Sampras, 卡菲尼可夫﹐拉夫特(澳洲名將)﹐甚至貝克(德國名將)﹑克爾達﹑JC 費德勒都在網壇競爭時﹐我就曾經登上世界第一(為時12周)﹐我離開是因為靱帶裂傷。後來發現﹐第一﹐是一個難以承受的數字。你感覺自己已經碰到頂﹐再也 升不上去了﹐當你在低一點的位置 時﹐你反而有目標去衝刺。
I cannot lie around on the sofa watching TV
我沒辦法盡是躺在沙發上看電視
When you spend months undergoing therapy do you feel discomfort or on the contrary enjoy life?
當你數月休戰接受治療時﹐你覺得不愉快嗎﹐還是很享受生活?
I treat injuries differently compared to younger days. Tennis, too. I had a few moments of crisis on those days when I hated it and wanted to quit. Now I understand that I owe everything to tennis. And I would be stupid to claim that I would have reached the same level without it. I play not only because it pays good money but because I enjoy it. The more I like it, the better I play and therefore the higher the level of my life. Satisfaction, results and money all go together as a whole. That is why the times of uncertainty, when the moment of my return to court keeps being postponed, I cannot call them good times. Certainty is always better, either a yes or a no.
我看待受傷的態度跟年輕時不同﹐看網球的態度也變了。我曾經跌 入深谷﹐憎恨一切想要放棄。現在我很清來﹐我該在網球上更盡心力﹐因為網球給了我許多。如果我大放厥詞說沒有網球我也可以如此成功﹐那麼我就是個蠢蛋。我 打球﹐不只因為我可以致富﹐而是我真的喜歡。我更享受打球﹐我便會打得更好﹐我的生活水平因之也會提高﹐成就感﹑滿足及財富全部隨之而來。因此當情況不明 朗﹐我必須要延遲復出時﹐那是痛苦難捱的時刻。大家都需要確定感﹐任何時刻都一樣﹐不管答案是 是 或是 否 都好。
What if no?
如果是 "否"呢
This is a professional sport. It came and went. In any case I would say ‘thank you’.
這是職業球賽﹐你進入﹐終有一天要退出。不管情況如何﹐我都謝謝你的關心。
Are you meaning to say that you are mentally ready to accept the fact that injuries will one day force you to terminate your career?
那麼你也暗示著你心理已有準備你的傷勢可能迫使你結束網球職業?
I suppose so.
我想是吧
If it happens, what will you do?
那麼你打算做什麼呢
This is the most difficult part - what to do after a career? I ask advice from my closest friends. When I was passing through bad times they were always with me, one of them even went to tournaments to China with me.They are normal people, no snobs and I know that they won’t leave me. I hope we manage to figure something out together.
這是最困難的一點-退休後到底要幹什麼好? 我會請好友給我建議。當我在低潮的時候﹐他們總在身邊支持﹐其中一個甚至一起跟我到中國去。他們都是一般凡夫俗子﹐不是勢利的小人﹐我知道他們不會離開我。希望我們能一起構思出未來的方向
Won’t you be able to afford to live off what you have already earned?
你目前所賺的錢難道不夠往後退休的生活嗎
The worst thing for a man is a ceiling. When there is nothing to do and no future a man starts to degrade. And I love life. I constantly need to do something, I can’t just lie around on the sofa watching TV. Days, hours, minutes fly by, life is great and it’s really stupid to waste time in order not to regret aimlessly wasted years.
對一個人來說﹐到達頂峰是最糟的。當你無所事事﹐未來沒有目標﹐人變開始墮落喪志。而我熱愛生命﹐我一定要有事做﹐我沒辦法躺著看TV過日子﹐幾天﹐幾小時﹐幾分鐘就這麼飛逝了。生命是如此美好﹐浪費時間將來才後悔莫及未能及時把握是多麼不值得
Where will you settle down?
你打算在哪裡定下來
I have lived everywhere, I know three languages - English, Spanish and a little bit of Italian. I have my own apartment in Moscow, family, friends. I have a place in Monte Carlo. A lot of things still tie me to Spain, where I always train because it is much more comfortable there than in Russia. Plus tennis dictates a lifestyle, which you can’t lead staying in one place. I have lived like that since I was 15, I cannot even imagine being in the same city for over three months. I have to keep moving, otherwise it feels like I am missing something. That is why I shall decide on the settlement place after I finish with my career.
我住過世界各地﹐我懂三國語言﹐英文﹐西班牙文和一點點義大利文。莫斯科﹐我有一套房子﹐家人﹐朋友。蒙特卡羅也有一套。我也常常 會在西班牙訓練﹐因為天候比俄國舒適許多。另外﹐網球也主導了一個球員的生活方式﹐你不可能老是住在固定的地方。這樣流浪般的生活已經有15年了﹐現在我 都不敢想像在同一個城市待上超過三個月是什麼感覺。我得要一直飄泊﹐不然總覺得欠缺點東西。這也就是我覺得自己只能在退休後才可去思考到底到定居在何處的 問題。
Are you in touch with Kafelnikov?
你有跟 卡菲尼可夫 聯絡嗎
Yes.
有啊
Has he managed to interest you in golf and poker?
他有沒有影響你去玩牌或打高爾夫球
No. I am not a gambler at all that is why I don’t fancy poker or any other card games. I also have no patience so golf is out of the question, too.
沒有。我不愛賭博﹐所以對打牌沒興趣﹐我也沒有耐心﹐所以高爾夫也沒什麼好談的
你覺得對卡菲來說﹐決定退休很簡單嗎
We have different characters. Zhenya said he was quitting and did it right away. I wouldn’t be able to do that. I have no idea how he had the strength to make such a decision in one day. I am temporarily not playing and still it’s really hard.
我們個性不同。ZENYA(卡菲說退就退﹐十分乾脆。我沒辦法這樣﹐很納悶他怎麼有勇氣在一天之內做出如此重大的決定。目前我雖然暫時不打球﹐但還是蠻難調適的。
My grandpa dug foundation pits for skyscrapers
我爺爺曾為摩天大樓挖基地
How do you spend your time now that you can’t train?
現在休息你如何打發時間
I arrive at the clinic at 11 nowadays, to do the treatment. Then I go to the gym and work on my upper body - that’s the only thing I am allowed to do. Then I go swimming and go back to the clinic for the rest of my treatment. Then I work on my apartment. I really enjoy it and now I am also helping my parents to do up their apartment.
我11點會到診所去進行治療﹐之後到健身房鍛練上半身--這是目前我唯一獲 准去做的事﹐然後我會去游泳再回到診所完成一天的治療。其餘的時間﹐我去整理布置自己的公寓﹐我做得很高興﹐也幫父母整理他們的公寓。
Do you hang around a lot with them?
你常跟爸媽在一起嗎
Yeah, I just had lunch with them today. We were never as close as we are right now. They understand me perfectly and support me a great deal. I even have fun with them.
是啊﹐今天才跟他們一起吃午餐而已。我們現在比以前還要更親密﹐他們很瞭解我﹐支持我。跟他們在一起很有意思。
I heard you went to your motherland the other day?
我聽說你拜訪自己的故鄉
Yes. First my Dad and I went to Kazan, we were invited by the President Shaymiev and then we went to this little village in the middle of nowhere in Tatarstan, where my grandpa once lived. We were looking for his house and suddenly this 80 year old granny shouts out ‘Are you Marat Safin?’ I was shocked that anyone knows me in a place that I have never been to before, 500 kilometres away from Moscow which you can’t drive to, can barely walk to and where they don’t even have signs with street names. And when they know who you are, you start to understand how popular tennis is in Russia.
是的。一開始我和爸爸接受總統的邀請到KAZAN去﹐之後到一個無人知曉的小 鎮Tartarstan去﹐以前我爺爺就住那兒。我們在找他住的那間房子﹐突然之間有個80歲的老伯伯大喊"你是薩芬嗎" 當時我好驚訝啊﹐在一個莫斯科城外500公里我未曾到過的荒淹之地竟然也有人認識我。當你發現他們認識你﹐ 你才明白網球在俄國是多麼火。
What made it so popular?
是什麼原因促使網球的興起呢
It’s not a what - it’s a who. Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin. If the first Russian President never played tennis it would have been just a casual sport. But nowadays people know so much about it that you start to wonder how.
這不是"什麼"﹐而是"誰"的問題﹐葉爾欽。如果俄國第一位總統從不打網球﹐那麼網球還是不會受到矚目。但你看現在人們對網球有多瞭解與熱衷﹐你才開始在懷疑到底是為什麼
Is your Grandpa still alive?
你的爺爺還健在嗎
Yeah, he is over 80 now. He goes to every Kremlin Cup, every security guard knows him and lets him in without a pass. A long time ago, in the 1930s without a passport he decided to go to Moscow hardly speaking Russian at all. No one used to leave places like that village where he is from, but he did it for his family. He said he was going to Moscow and to try to get lucky. He dug foundation pits for skyscrapers by hand and built the first tube stations. He lived through the whole war and was wounded twice. He got a place to live in Moscow, got married, had three sons, one of them is my Dad. It turns out Safins’ have it in the blood to strive for perfection.
是啊﹐他已經八十多歲了。每場克里姆林杯他都會去觀看﹐每個安全人員都認識他﹐不需要通行證。很久 以前﹐1930年代時他沒有護照也幾乎不會俄語便決定到莫斯科去。在他居住的小鎮沒有人像他一樣離開﹐而他為了家人犧牲盡力。他說他去莫斯科試試看會不會 幸運之神眷顧有個好發展﹐他赤手幫摩天大樓挖基地﹐建造第一座管道站 (不清楚是什麼東西)。他經歷了整個戰爭時期﹐受傷兩次。後來在莫斯科找到地方住下來﹐結婚生了三個兒子﹐其中一個是我爸爸。我發覺薩芬家族成員都流著追 求完美的血液。
Do you speak the Tartar language?
你會說Tartar話嗎
I understand a few words but I have never learned how to speak it. But I think I shouldn’t be blamed for that. My Grandpa still doesn’t speak Russian very well but he said everything with his actions. I don’t think I would have become what I am right now if it wasn’t for him.
我知道一些詞但始終沒學會怎麼說﹐但我想這不是我的錯吧。我爺爺俄語還是不太好﹐但他說話時舉止生動。如果不是爺爺﹐不會有今天的我。
My parents set up a transfer from football to tennis
我父母安排我從足球轉到網球發展
Is it true that someone didn’t accept you in a football section due to the fact that you were too short?
聽說你因為太矮所以在足球部被拒絕了
I heard this fable. It’s total nonsense. I desperately wanted to play football and I was accepted to the Spartak school. I went there for about a month and a half and it turned out that there was no one who would accept me there. Now I understand that this was set up on purpose and I am grateful. I definitely couldn’t have reached my present level if I continued with football.
我聽過這個胡謅之言﹐荒謬至極。我當時好想踢足球﹐而且Spartak學校也收我為學生了。我在那裡待了一個半月﹐同圍的人似乎都不太接受我。現在我才知道﹐這樣的情況是事先安排好的﹐而我真的只有感激。可以確定的是﹐如果我繼續發展足球﹐我絕不可能達到現在的成就。
Nonetheless you remain a Spartak supporter?
即便如此﹐你一直都是Spartak的擁護者
I grew up there! My Mum worked in their tennis club. I worshipped Spartak in football, hockey and other sports. Even when I lived in Spain I managed to watch some Champions League games with Spartak. I was a really passionate supporter. Now, however, I am signed with Dinamo.
我在那裡長大的啊﹐我媽媽在網球部工作。我崇拜Spartak的足球﹑曲棍球及其他運動。我在西班牙時也會看Spartak的比賽﹐是個十足的熱情球迷。不過現在我向DINAMO簽合約了。
So whom do you support in football now?
所以你現在支持那一隊呢
Spartak is still closer to my heart. (smiles) I am glad the team is being re-born.
Spartak還是更貼進我心呀 (微笑)﹐我很高興這個球隊又重生了
你媽媽在14歲時將你送到西班牙陌生人手中﹐對她來說是不是很難受
I think she understood that there was no other way. In the 1990s our tennis was totally hopeless. No racquets, no balls, no tournaments. It was impossible to break through staying in Russia. In men’s tennis there is still no proper system of preparing the kids up to now. The results speak for themselves - what is going to happen to the guys who are coming after us is a mystery. If a person wants to achieve something by the age of 18 he has to at least be in top 200. If you’re in top 700 then in my opinion that means that you’re not playing seriously but fooling around.
我想她明白除此之外別無他路了。1990年代我們的網球是很無助的﹐球拍﹐練習球﹐ 比賽什麼都沒有﹐待在俄國不可能有進展。即便到現在﹐男子網球我們還是沒有完整的培訓系統。結果會說話﹐騙不了人的﹐後繼的人才到底會有什麼成就仍舊充滿 不確定性。如果一個球手要有成就的話﹐在18歲之前必須打進前200名﹔如果你是前700名﹐我的意見是﹐你不是在打球而是在混日子。
Our female tennis boom is because of Kournikova
我們女子網球的崛起要歸功於庫娃
Why is our female tennis progressing at such high speed?
為什麼我們女子網球會成長如此快速
It’s easier to break through there. And in addition, we are living through a real female tennis boom unlike the men’s. You know who we should thank for that? Even though everyone is trying to deny it - it is thanks to Anna Kournikova. Anna showed what levels of popularity one can achieve in tennis. Parents took their daughters to tennis courts because of her influence.
女子網壇要突破比較容易﹐另外﹐我們正好經歷女子網球風潮﹐不像男子還停滯中。你知道我們該感謝誰嗎? 就算大家都想否認--但真的庫維功不可莫。庫娃讓大家看到網球打好的話你會多受歡迎﹐受到庫娃效應影響家長們帶著他們的女兒去打網球。
What do you think about the path she’s chosen?
你對她選擇的路線有何想法
I have known Anna since we were six, I like her a lot. We have our separate lives. Who forced her to evolve life around tennis? The fact that a person decided to make such drastic changes in her life talks of nothing but her strength. To quit everything you’ve lived for, for 15 years and try to do something new is very hard. I wouldn’t have managed to do it even if I had opportunities like hers.
我從六歲就認識她了﹐我很喜歡她。我們過著不同的生活。當時有誰逼她生活在網球場裡呢?她下 如此大的決心去改變生活表示她是個堅強的人。放棄你15年來賴以為生的東西嘗試全新的生活是很不容易的。就算我有她那樣的機會﹐我也沒辦法做到。
What do you think about the whole fuss over Maria Sharapova?
那麼莎娃風潮你有什麼想法
Nothing for now. She stormed in at the beginning and we shall see what happens next. Our paths don’t cross - different age, different interests. We know each other, no more than that.
目前沒有。她現在氣勢正旺﹐我們可以觀察後續的發展。我們成長的方式沒有交集﹐不同的年紀﹐不同的興趣。我們彼此認識﹐如此而已。
Does Dinara consult you on professional matters a lot?
妹妹會跟你討教網球嗎
No. At the age of 19 a person has to make their own mistakes, hurt themselves, otherwise you cannot become strong. You’ve been through this, I’ve been through this and she will, too. Dinara has grown up, we started to communicate more and during, for example, Grand Slams we go and have dinner when we get a chance. But I don’t barge in with my advice.
不。19歲的青年必須自己去承受失敗﹐受傷﹐不然你無法堅強走下去。你曾這樣走過﹐我也是﹐她也將如此。妹妹已經長大﹐我們聊得更多﹐譬如在大滿貫比賽時有機會時會一起吃晚餐。但我不會用我自己的想法去甘涉她的職業路途。
Do you want your sister to live up to the surname or you don’t care what ranking she’s got?
你希望妹妹也傳承薩芬家的榮耀嗎﹐或者你不在乎她到底排名多少
It doesn’t matter. The most important thing is that she remains a normal human being. And I don’t care whether she is 10th, 300th or quits tennis as such. It is more important that everything she does makes her happy and does her good.
這些都不重要。最重要的是她還是個正常的凡人。我不管她到底是排第十﹐300﹐或甚至放棄打球。我比較重視的事﹐她做的事使自己開心﹐對她有益處那就好了。
Whom do you support from the Russian girls?
你支持哪些俄國女選手
All the girls are great. Sometimes you see how fame changes people but it didn’t spoil our girls.
所有的女孩們都很棒。你常常看到名聲使人改變﹐但我們的女孩們都還保有原來的樣子﹐沒被寵壞
Roddick and I don’t talk to each other
我跟羅迪克不太說話
Is there anyone from the top players you haven’t managed to build a relationship with?
和哪些頂尖球員你處不好
Roddick and I don’t talk to each other. We fell out during the Olympic Games in Athens.
我和羅迪克不太說話﹐從雅典奧運開始的
What hapenned?
發生什麼事呢
I am not going to say anything, it’s stupid. But the man has changed and not for the best. I’ve known him, Federer and Hewitt practically since childhood, we’re of the same age, we’ve been playing each other forever. I have an excellent relationship with the other two. Federer became more disciplined, serious, a real Swiss. He is a very good person. Once I had to present some one I knew with a racquet and I didn’t have one on me. I asked Roger for one and he gave it to me without hesitation. I have wonderful memories about Sampras – he treated me really well and I respected him deeply. Just as I respect Agassi.
現在我不想多說什麼﹐有點多餘﹐ 只能說他變了不少﹐但不是正面的改變。從小時候開始﹐我便和他﹑費德勒﹑兔子認識﹐一起打球了﹐跟其他兩位球手還是十分要好。費德勒變得較有紀律自我要求 ﹐嚴肅﹐一個典型的瑞士人﹐他是個很NICE的人﹐有一次我必須要送人一把球拍但是手邊沒有﹐我向他要﹐他不假思索便給我一支。對於山普拉斯我也保有美好 的回憶﹐他對我很好﹐我打從內心尊敬他﹐就像尊敬阿加西一樣
You have admired Federer’s game on numerous occasions. Some people actually consider him the best player of all times. Do you agree?
在不同的場合裡﹐你都推崇費德勒的球技。有些人認為他是有史以來最佳的網球員﹐你同意嗎
I’d say yes. He has everything a perfect player should have. You can find flaws in Agassi and Sampras but Federer has none.
我覺得是的。他具有完美球員的各種特質﹐你或許在山普拉斯及阿加西上會發現他們的弱點﹐但費德勒堪稱完美無缺
Nevertheless you managed to beat him in the Australian Open semi final?
僅管如此﹐你在澳網半決賽還是打敗他了
It happens (laughs).
就這麼發生了 (笑)
What flaws do you have in your game?
你自己的缺點是什麼
Even though I hit balls in motion much better now I am still far from perfect. You see, I trained in Spain where they don’t really pay perfection too much attention. What else? Due to my height I am limited in movement on court. I could play better at the backline. Oh and by the way, this is an answer to those who think talent and height are a key to any problem. There are other things, which I am not going to talk about. I would call them ‘well covered holes’. I cannot get rid of them, but I can cover them up.
雖然我現在打球更有節奏﹐但離完美還遠著呢。你知道我是在西班牙受訓的﹐他們並不 太在意追求完美。還有呢﹐由於我太高﹐多少限制了場上的移動﹐在底線我發揮地比較好。喔﹐順道一提﹐這是天賦與高度是問題關鍵的答案......有些事情 我不想講﹐只能稱它們是"隱藏良好的漏洞"﹐我沒辦法去改變既有的現實﹐但有辦法不使之顯露出來
Is your main dream to win Roland Garros?
你的最大夢想是法網
Yes. In Paris the crowd treats me amazingly ever since 1998, when I really showed myself and had beaten Kuerten and Agassi. Even when we were winning over French in the Davis Cup final, the French applauded me can you believe it?
是的﹐從1998年我出道打敗庫爾騰和阿叔﹐巴黎的球迷們始終對我特別熱情。甚至在法國主場我們贏了DAVIS CUP 決賽﹐法國人還是為我鼓掌叫我﹐你能相信嗎﹐不可思議
Did your Mum tell you how she played Roland Garros?
媽媽有告訴你她比賽法網的經驗嗎
I am not interested. As if I have nothing better to talk to my mother about!
我沒興趣知道這些﹐好像除了這個我跟媽媽沒話可說似的 (MARAT意思應該是他跟媽媽有很多事可聊吧...)
What do you think of our supporters?
你對我們國家的球迷有何看法
They are very demanding and that is why it is rather difficult for me to play in Moscow. But nonetheless Russian supporters like me more than the Brits like Henman, who has been hated in London because he cannot win Wimbledon. But everyone forgets that there was no one in England like him for a 100 years! So in comparison to him I have nothing to complain about. I feel that in Russia I am no longer considered as a ‘spoilt by fate’ brat that doesn’t care about anything. Now I walk along the street, go into shops and I hear ‘Get well Marat!’ That’s nice. And when little kids pull their mums’ dresses and whisper ‘Mummy, do you know who this is?’ - it really gets to me. That is why when they ask me to visit Tver or Kazan in order to attract kids to tennis I go without thinking twice.
他們要求很高﹐所以我在莫斯科打球備感壓力。但他們是喜歡我的﹐不像亨曼因為沒能贏得溫網總是被 英國球迷憎恨﹐但大家都忘了百年來沒有英國人像他這樣啊!! 跟他比起來﹐我沒得抱怨了。我感覺在俄國﹐人們不再視我為不可一視被盛名所寵壞的小孩了。現在我走在街上﹐去商店買東西都會聽到" MARAT要早點康復喔!!V感覺很溫馨。還有當有些小孩拉著媽媽的衣服輕聲地問說 "媽咪﹐你知道他是誰嗎 ?那時我心中湧滿感動﹐這也是為何人們邀請我到Tver或Kazan去鼓勵小朋友打網球我毫無猶豫便去了兩次。
你想不想有小孩
I would love to become a father, even in the next year or two. But up to now I haven’t met anyone I would have kids with!
我很想當爸﹐甚至明年或後年都好﹐可惜到目前為止﹐我還沒找到能共組家庭的對象
I don’t like Wimbledon. And US OPEN only for New York.
我不喜歡溫網﹐也不喜歡美網﹐參加只因我愛紐約
Do you still have a tricky relationship with Wimbledon?
你還是跟溫網搞不好關係
I do not like this tournament. One of the reasons is a totally disastrous sportsmen treatment. Here’s an example. We get 20 pounds for lunch. I have a coach and a masseuse and one portion of the most uneatable spaghetti costs 12 pounds, a portion of tasteless strawberries with cream from a sachet costs 5 pounds, coffee - another 5. The rest of the food is horrible - fish and chips everywhere and hamburgers. I can pay myself of course. What’s really unappealing is disrespect. How can you give such a treatment to people, who waste lots of health and strength earning tons of money for the organisers? Wimbledon’s profit alone is around 60 milliom pounds!
我不喜歡這個比賽。原因之一是他們對待球員糟透了﹐舉例來說﹐午餐供應20英磅。我有一個教 練﹐一個按摩師﹐一盤難以下嚥的義大利麵12英磅﹐加奶油沒味道從香袋裡拿出來的草莓5英磅﹐咖啡又是5英磅﹐其他的食物真的也很糟﹐不管是魚﹑薯條或是 漢堡都一樣。當然我可以自己掏腰包﹐但最難過的是" 不受尊重 "。你對於這些犧牲健康及精力為你賺下巨額收入的球員怎可如此呢? 溫網的收入可是六千萬英磅啊
Maybe you don’t like Wimbledon due to the surface as well?
或許也是因為你不喜歡溫網的場地吧
You can get used to grass. In 2001 I was in the quarterfinals, I played really well this year and would have got further than two rounds if it wasn’t for the knee. In Halle I almost beat Federer in the final on grass. It is another thing that it is very hard for me to switch from clay to grass, I don’t have time to get used to it. But the surface has nothing to do with it. Only for supporters is Wimbledon traditions and promotion but Wimbledon for players is horrible treatment.
你能適應草地球場的。 2001年我曾打入1/4決賽﹐今年我打得也很好﹐只是膝傷使我止步到第二輪﹐在哈雷決賽差點就擊敗費德勒。當然其中有一個問題是因為時間的關係﹐從紅土 轉換到草地對我而言有點難﹐但我不喜歡溫網跟場地一點關係也沒有。對於球迷﹐溫網代表著傳統和宣傳﹐但溫網對球員的待遇實在太差了
Nevertheless, are you hoping to win it one day?
即使如此﹐你也希望有天能奪冠吧
That would be hard to do.
那很難吧
At what other Grand Slams is the organisation suffering?
還有哪裡大滿貫你有意見
US Open. There are constant transport problems to get to the stadium and back. Food is unbearable as well - you get dried pizza, which has been lying around for about 5 hours, coffee is black water. And after September 11 the police have become animalistic - they are everywhere, questioning you at the entrance to the stadium, if you say something wrong you will be taken to police headquarters. You’re forced to take shoes and even shorts off at the airport, they’re really rude to you. This makes me go mad. Only New York itself saves the situation - it’s a fantastic city. I usually live nowhere near the majority of players. Old districts have really wonderful places, which the others don’t know about yet.
美網。球員的接泊問題一直都沒有解決。食物也好不到哪裡去-你吃的是放了5小時乾掉的披薩﹐咖啡好像是黑色的開水。而自從 911事件之後﹐公安人員簡直如野獸般粗暴﹐到處都公安﹐在入口對你不斷質問﹐假如你不小心說錯話馬上帶去警局。在機場他們逼你脫鞋﹐脫衣服﹐非常不禮貌 ﹐這種態度簡直令我瘋掉。還好紐約是個美麗的城市﹐抵消掉一些不愉快。通常我跟其他球手不一樣﹐自己住在遠遠的地方﹐紐約有些老市區很有意思﹐其他人都沒 去發掘的。
Are you friends with any of your colleagues?
你有沒有網球選手朋友呢
Tennis has become such an individual sport that I think no one is really friends with anyone. I hang out with many, first of all with Kolya Davydenko, Igor Andreev and Misha Youzhny. But we all have our own lives.
網球已經漸漸變成一種個人運動﹐我想沒有人跟其他選手是真正的好友。我跟很多選手出去玩﹐好比戴維登科﹑安德烈夫﹑尤茲尼﹐不過我們都有自己的生活。
What place do the Olympic Games occupy on your scale of sports valuables?
奧運在你心目中的分量是如何
It’s obviously very prestigious to win them but I value Grand Slams much higher. But this is not the reason I played badly in both my Olympics. I came to Sydney after I had won both the US Open and Tashkent tournament, I had no strength. Athens had horrible conditions. All tennis players were devastated. We played with balls, which you can easily buy in the cheapest supermarket. Courts were coloured in such a way that we could hardly see the ball. The wind was awful and we were given fast food to eat. It was a nightmare.
當然老是很神聖的﹐不過我覺得大滿貫等級更高﹐這可不 是我奧運表現不好的原因。我在贏得美網和Tashkent比賽到Sydney時已經精疲力盡了。雅典的比賽地使所有的球員都難熬無奈﹐我們用的是在超市能 買到最便宜的球﹐場地的漆色搞得大家幾乎看不到球飛到哪裡去﹐風勢很強﹐我們吃的是速食餐﹐那真的是場惡夢。
(JS :難怪記者說MARAT很直率﹐他真是想什麼就說什麼啊)
When Kafelnikov had won the Sydney Olympics he said ‘Only in the Olympic village I had realised I played for the country, not for myself.’
當卡菲尼可夫贏得西尼奧運時說﹐只有奧運時我真正感受到我不是為自己打球﹐而是為國家爭光"
And Zhenya didn’t live in the village, he just used to come there! (laughs). I lived there both times. Sydney was wonderful. The house was comfortable, my neighbours were a pentathlon champion Dima Svatkovkiy, Sasha Moskalenko, female tennis players, table tennis guys. Nemov came to visit, Sveta Khorkina (Russian gymnasts). I remember I met Karelin (heavy weight wrestling champion) and my hand drowned in his. All was beautiful, family - like. And the feelings were those that Kafelnikov talked about. When I put on a track suit with ‘Russia’ written on it everyone looked at me with respect. I lost on the very first day but stayed there until the end of the Olympics and never went outside the village it was so great there! Tons of fun! It was all different in Athens. There was barb wire all around the village. I had the Israeli team as neighbours and people with machine guns used to guard them, I felt uncomfortable. No grass underneath your feet, they had built bungalows on bare soil. I think Olympic sportsmen deserve better than that.
他並沒有住在選手村啊﹐他只是去比賽而已喔(笑)。我在那裡住了兩回﹐悉尼是很棒的城市﹐選手村的房子也舒適﹐我的鄰居是五項全能 冠軍Dima Svatkovki及Sasha Moskalenko,女子網球選手﹐還有桌球選手。俄國的體操選手來找我﹐記得我還遇到重量級拳擊冠軍KARELIN﹐緊握著他的手。整體感覺很好﹐大 家像是個大家庭一般。至於卡菲所提到的感覺我瞭解﹐當人們看我穿上俄國選手服時眼神充滿尊敬啊。雖然第一天我就輸球了﹐可是我一直待在選手村到比賽結束﹐ 美好的回憶﹐好有趣!!但雅典奧運就不同了﹐整個選手村都圍著鐵絲圈﹐我的鄰居是以色列團隊﹐外頭全是帶槍的警衛﹐感覺很不自在。選手村裡沒有草地﹐他們 把房子建在土上頭。我認為奧運選手應該受到較好的待遇才是。
TENNIS IS A WHOLE PERSONAL QUESTIONNAIRE
網球就是人格的測驗問卷
Your popularity helps you meet famous people. Which meetings were the most memorable?
你的名聲使你有機會接接觸有名的人物﹐哪些場合令你印象深刻
I can’t name them all. I had a chance to meet presidents - Vladimir Putin, George Bush Sr., Bill Clinton, and directors, musicians. I know Fedya Bondarchuk, went to the opening night of his new film ‘The 9th company.’ The guys from ‘Uma2rman’ are great (Russian music group). I respect people who have achieved something in this life and whom the public admires.
我一時無法一一舉出。我曾經和各國總統-普丁﹑老布什﹐克林頓﹐電影導演﹐音樂家等人見過面。我認識"The 9th company"的導演﹐ Fendya Bondarchuk﹐也參加他電影的首映會﹔俄國的音樂團"Uma2rman"很棒。我十分尊敬那些在人生中努力求得成就又受到大眾愛戴的人物。
I heard you are friends with sportsmen too.
聽說你也有運動員好友
I have known Ilya Kovalchuk (a hockey player) for a long time. A short while ago football player Dmitry Bulikin joined our group and a wrestler Hasan Baroev. We saw Ilya off to Atlanta a few days ago and I saw the other two on the weekend. And we don’t talk about sport when we meet.
我跟 曲棍球手Ilya Kovalchck很早前便熟識﹐不久前﹐足球手Dmitry Bulikin 及拳擊手Hasan Baroev也加入我們的圈子。幾天前Ilya到美國亞特蘭大去我們去送行﹐而之後我和其他兩個也見面。當我們在一起時是不聊運動的。
Do you dress in designer clothes?
你穿設計師(名牌)服飾嗎
I have got over that already. When I was 17 I had one pair of trousers and one pair of shoes for every occasion. I remember coming to Davis Cup for the first time in my life - no suit, no white shirt. I look at the photos and feel ashamed. Then when I started earning money I obviously wanted to look good. And now when I can buy anything I want, my passion for chic clothes has vanished.
那種年輕的瘋狂已經過了。十七歲時﹐每個場合我都要穿不同 的褲子配上不同的鞋子。記得生平第一次參加DAVIS CUP ﹐沒有穿西裝﹐沒有白色襯衫﹐我看到自己的照片時感到很丟臉﹐有賺錢之後﹐我開始在意自己的外表﹐而現在﹐雖然想買什麼都舉手可得﹐那種追求流行奢華的狂 熱已經消失了。
A great actor Oleg Tabakov once told me – ‘I have been teaching for 30 years and I always recommend to my students to watch tennis because you understand a lot about yourself.’ Can you relate to that?
演員Oleg Tabakov曾告訴我"我教學三十年了﹐我總是建議學生們觀賞網球﹐能從中更瞭解自我" 你有同感嗎
Of course. In football for example, which is a team sport, one can hide himself, but on court a person is fully exposable. You can right away say if he is courageous, scared, strong, cheeky, soft, or emotional. Or even a ‘thief’ - on court of course. I just need one look at a person on court and I can tell you what he is like. Tennis is a personality questionnaire.
當然。拿足球來說﹐那是一種團隊運動﹐你可以隱藏自己﹐而在網球場上你是完全曝露豪無遮掩的﹐看一個人打球﹐你能馬 上知道他是否勇敢﹐恐懼﹐厚顏無恥﹐溫柔或情緒化﹐甚至是不是個"賊"都看得出來。我上場只要看對方一眼便能洞悉他是什麼樣的人了。網球就好比是人格的測 驗問卷。
Who’s a ‘thief’?
什麼樣的人算是"賊" 呢
Someone who always argues with an umpire, always trying to prove to the umpire that the ball was good when it was out and the opposite.
那些一天到晚老是跟主審爭執﹐明明球是出界卻老是跟主審抗議的人。
When Kiefer played Igor Andreev in the Kremlin Cup final, that’s exactly the way the German was reacting.
當基佛在克里姆林杯與安得烈夫打決賽時﹐他就是都這樣子的
Yeah, that is a vivid example. Obviously, in everyday life he is a normal guy but on court some secret features of a character start appearing. You can’t hide anything there.
是啊﹐這就是活生生的例子。在日常生活中他跟其他人沒有兩樣﹐但上球場你一些個性特質便不由得顯露出來﹐你不可能事事隱藏的﹐百密總有一疏。
Including your emotions. Are you easily wound up outside the court?
也包含你的情緒吧。你在場外容易緊張激動嗎
It’s elementary. I cannot stand boorishness. But I try to stay calm. It’s a result of long training sessions.
那是很基本的﹐我不能忍受粗魯沒禮貌的行徑﹐但我會試著保持平靜﹐這是長期訓練出來的結果。
How many racquets a year do you manage to break?
你一年摔幾支拍子
Now around 50. Before it was 60. I am slowly growing up (laughs).
現在大約50支吧﹐以前是60支﹐我慢慢長大成熟了 (笑)
Are there people who take care of your image and explain what you can and cannot do?
有沒有人負責指導你如何維持自己的形 象﹐告訴你什麼事可做什麼事不能做
No. I live for myself and not for someone else. I live in a way to make it fun and interesting. I don’t care what’s being said behind my back, if I think I can afford to do something I do it. I don’t need other people’s judgements and lectures on what’s good and what’s not. I decide it for myself.
沒有。我為自己而活﹐不為別人﹐我的生活方式就是使自己過得開心有趣。如果我覺得我想做什麼事我就去做﹐不會在乎別人背後的批評或八卦。我不需要別人來評斷或說教什麼是好或壞﹐自己決定自己負責。
I thank you for sitting through this interview so heroically. Is there anything you would like to say that I haven’t asked you about?
真的很感謝你這麼直率勇敢(原文是英雄式地)接受專訪﹐還有什麼遺漏的事情你想告訴我的呢
You already know more about me than my mother does!
你已經比我媽更瞭解我了!!!
Thank you to Annoushka(Annie from TGFR) for translating this article from Russian
謝謝Annoushka (TGFR)將俄文翻成英文
