When you see Marat Safin walking with the shadows of his past glory beside him and with the end of his career approaching, playing against Mr Unstability Thomas Berdych, you could expect everything but a straight match.
The encounter filled up with the expectations. In the first set Safin dominated the match with 6 aces while Berdych was out-played and seemingly close to retirement. After that the Czech received treatment and finished to win the match.
Safin refused to shake his adversary's hand. Later, in the press room, he confirmed once again his genuinity and spontaneity of tongue and mind.
"Don't pretend that you are injured and then you start running around and start to hit winners and then all of a sudden you pull the hands up in the air after winning the match? ... So then of course the guy will say 'No, I've been injured but then I felt a little bit better'.
"Of course he will find 10,000 excuses. Still, it's not enough. You're playing or you're not playing”.
(Continue to ATP Tennis 360)
The encounter filled up with the expectations. In the first set Safin dominated the match with 6 aces while Berdych was out-played and seemingly close to retirement. After that the Czech received treatment and finished to win the match.
Safin refused to shake his adversary's hand. Later, in the press room, he confirmed once again his genuinity and spontaneity of tongue and mind.
"Don't pretend that you are injured and then you start running around and start to hit winners and then all of a sudden you pull the hands up in the air after winning the match? ... So then of course the guy will say 'No, I've been injured but then I felt a little bit better'.
"Of course he will find 10,000 excuses. Still, it's not enough. You're playing or you're not playing”.
(Continue to ATP Tennis 360)