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Post by ¤º¤ Anik ¤º¤ on Jan 12, 2009 11:30:57 GMT -5
Sister is doing it for herself Jake Niall January 13, 2009
SHE doesn't drink or smoke. She doesn't like nightclubs. She doesn't stay out late. She's not blonde. Growing up, she always listened to her parents.
She doesn't sound like the kind of Russian girl that Marat Safin would normally hang around with and one can guess that he wouldn't know Dinara Safina terribly well, if not for the fact that she's his sister.
He might only have gotten to know her, even without the family connection, because Dinara is now Russia's highest-ranked tennis player, and has well and truly climbed past her brother on the greasy pole. She's ranked No. 3 in the world, he's barely inside the top 30.
His glory days — of Australian Open finals and entourages of, yes, blonde Russian women — are part of our tennis folklore, rather than an effervescent present.
She made the French Open final, won an Olympic silver medal and made a quantum leap in the rankings in 2008. Yet, when they teamed together at the Hopman Cup last week as the Russian mixed doubles combination, everyone was talking about Safin — not his forehand, but the apparent backhander, or straight out punch, he'd copped in Moscow, giving him one blackened eye and a cut under the other.
Safina has been driven by a desire to differentiate herself from her famous brother. And she's succeeded, by becoming a famous player herself.
"In my case, I always wanted to be myself. I never wanted to be his sister and just to be famous by his sister. I always wanted to be something myself," she told The Age. "Some girls I know they could not handle this life. I think it was not easy for the Hewitt sister — she was a tennis player. Also Kim Clijsters has a sister. It's not easy because it's a lot of pressure."
So when she showed up in Sydney this week, everyone wanted to know what Safina thought about Safin's black eye, which, she observed, could have been worse, given the prevalence of guns in Moscow. "You don't know what the guy can have. He can have a normal gun and he can punish you. Monaco (where she lives) is much more safe."
There were only two children in this tennis family (dad, Michail, is director of a Russian tennis club, mum Raouza coached), a situation that Safina reckons made her both competitive and keen to assert her individuality. "I was pushing myself because I wanted to become something myself."
She received more tennis tutelage from her folks because the 12-year-old Safin was sent away to Spain to become a serious player; Safina, six years younger, would subsequently take the same path to Valencia.
In 2008, Safina made the great leap forward, moving from No. 15 to No. 3 and losing to Ana Ivanovic in the French Open final. She is odds-on to be voted the most improved player on the Sony-Ericsson WTA Tour and her brother believes she can make No. 1 in 2009 — a burdensome prediction she didn't know about.
"No I didn't see this," she said when told of Safin's pronouncement. "Well, I'll try."
To win a grand slam title, however, is her priority, and the ranking will follow.
In conversation, as on the court, Safina is blunt and bold. While she described herself as a "good girl" — "I always listened to my parents, I never came late home, I don't go out, I don't smoke, I don't drink, no, I don't go to nightclubs. I don't really like it" — she shares Safin's penchant for deadpan humour, which is enhanced by the broken English and missing prepositions.
She doesn't mess around: ball's there, she'll try and hit a winner. Question posed: she'll answer it.
Safina says she won't get far playing conservatively. "By saving, you don't save anything, you have to go for it."
Yesterday, that aggression blew Romanian Sorana Cirstea off Sydney's Ken Rosewall Arena 6-2, 6-1. "Better lose the match going for my shots," she said afterwards.
Dinara gives much of the credit for her vault up the rankings to her coach, Zeljko Krajan, who "found my game".
"He tells you what to do and you trust, you believe in him. Maybe that's what was missing with other coaches. Maybe I was not trusting them enough," she said.
At 22, she's a relatively late bloomer and, as you'd expect, she's one of those gangly women who needed time to find her game and her confidence. "When I'm playing well, it doesn't matter where I chase the ball. I know that I can hit out of any position a winner."
Safin's main advice was to play the game her way. "He was always telling me that I had to be more myself, not like to look on others, what they're doing. Just focus on yourself. With age, you start to really realise this."
As the highest-ranked player from a nation that has six of the top 11, it was natural to wonder whether Safina, freed from the sibling shackles, measured her achievements against Safin or the Russian women on tour.
She smiled. "OK, now I think I can say it's the Russians, because now, I don't need any more to compete with my brother. Many people know me by my name. So now it's I want to always to get better than other Russian."
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sara
Ballboy
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Post by sara on Jan 15, 2009 18:34:29 GMT -5
SHE doesn't drink or smoke. She doesn't like nightclubs. She doesn't stay out late. cause she is muslam thanks u r greeeat
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Post by maria on Jan 15, 2009 22:11:24 GMT -5
SHE doesn't drink or smoke. She doesn't like nightclubs. She doesn't stay out late. cause she is muslam thanks u r greeeat Marat is muslam too and he like drink and nightclubs so................
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Post by helloticky on Jan 16, 2009 0:12:30 GMT -5
Stepping out of the shadowsThe article from AO website on Friday 16 January 2009 By Colin Banks.He talk about why Dinara should win GS this year especially Australian Open www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/articles/2009-01-16/200901161232060331734.htmlNo longer will Dinara Safina be simply known as the sister of the mercurial Marat Safin, the 2005 Australian Open champ. After a stellar six month spell that seen her propel up the rankings to a career high of world No.2, she is now a genuine Grand Slam contender, and big brother is firmly in her shadow. The meteoric rise of the younger sibling came out of nowhere. Known for her power game, the 22-year-old always had potential, but lacked the self-belief and consistency to challenge the top players and for the game’s biggest prizes. Last year was a year of transformation for Safina. Under the guidance of new coach Zeljko Krajan, gone went the journeywoman attitude and her inability to close out big matches. In its place today is a cool customer who has learned to harness her incredible power and when to use it effectively. The transformation was even more incredible considering the start Safina made to the 2008 season, where she won just 11 matches from her first 10 tournaments. Then, at the German Open in Berlin in May, her fortunes changed. Pitted against then world No.1 Justine Henin, Safina played a typical career match, pushing Henin all the way in the first set before losing it 7-5. Where the old model would have let her head drop and be satisfied with defeat, the new Safina was ready to show the world what she was made of, digging herself out of a hole that she would normally have buried herself in. She roared back to win the next two sets for the loss of four games and send Henin into immediate retirement. The new injection of confidence didn’t stop there. Serena Williams was Safina’s victim the next day in a final set tie-break, a nerve-jangling finish that the old Safina would normally have blown. Two days later she lifted the Berlin crown, the biggest prize of her career to date. With a new belief in herself and her abilities, Safina was now on a roll. She went on to reach the final in five of her next six events, winning two and posting runner-up finishes at the French Open and the Olympic Games in Beijing. Having won only 11 matches heading into Berlin, she would win 44 from her next 12 events. Paris was a major breakthrough for the Muscovite, who had never previously gone beyond the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam event. She extended her winning streak with gritty come-from-behind victories over top-10 players Maria Sharapova, Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova before being outclassed by the variety of Ana Ivanovic in the final. “I'm much more aggressive than I used to be. I've been working a lot on every shot,” Safina explained of her transformation. “Then also physically, if I'm faster, it helps me to play my game, to be aggressive on the court, to come and get better for the shots. Now I have a tennis coach and fitness coach. They are working together to get me better, so now I guess I have a team that works for me.” By the Olympics, she was the hottest player on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, marching through to the final before blowing her chance for gold when she let slip a seemingly winning advantage against compatriot Elena Dementieva. “It’s sad as it’s not the gold medal,” Safina remarked after the ceremony. “But it doesn’t matter, because I think what I’ve done, not many girls could do it.” Australia’s love affair with Marat could certainly help guarantee Safina a strong crowd following at this year’s Australian Open, where she will be the third seed. With a favourable draw and a chance to avoid the Williams sisters (who have beaten her in seven of eight combined career meetings), Safina could go all the way and join Marat in the exclusive Grand Slam Champions club. Yet her Australian Open pedigree leaves many a doubt in the mind. In six previous appearances, Safina has yet to get beyond the third round, and she has managed that only twice. But this is a different Safina that we look at now, a transformed model and genuine contender. If she can go on to collect her first Grand Slam prize in Melbourne, it may be Marat who will be simply known as Dinara’s ‘big brother’ in years to come. Five reasons why Safina can win Australian Open 2009:.. ;D * She began her season at the Hopman Cup in Perth playing alongside brother Marat, a relaxed preparation for the Open * Belief, confidence and consistency are now her strongest assets * She is not afraid of the top players anymore. She had 12 wins over top-10 players in 2008, including three ranked at No.1 * She is now the highest-ranked Russian from their army of players, which should give her added confidence * She is used to the winning feeling, having won 55 matches in 2008, second only to Jelena Jankovic Five reasons why she she might not:..... * She is a member of the Safin family, which means, as we know all too well, that her tennis can blow hot and cold * She has only reached one Grand Slam final, and experience counts in the latter stages of a Grand Slam * Her record at Melbourne Park is sub-par to date, with a third round finish her best in six attempts * She has gone from being the hunter to being the hunted, and it will be interesting to see how she handles the pressure of being one of the favourites * Despite her incredible 2008 season, she’s lost the last four matches she played against top-10 opposition in straight sets
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Post by dinara is maad. on Jan 20, 2009 22:25:11 GMT -5
yeah i agree that it must be hard that she has to hold all of the pressure of her family name, her ranking and past achievements. but she will pull through, because she always does.
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Post by helloticky on Jan 23, 2009 2:31:51 GMT -5
Aussie 09 Dinara's interview after won over her 3rd round Friday 23 January 2009 www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2009-01-23/200901231232676600500.html?promo=personalizationQ. First time into the fourth round here. You must be happy. DINARA SAFINA: Yeah, I'm really happy. There's a first time for everything. Twice I lost in the third round. I was like this today, That is the third time. Should be the luckiest one. Actually, I'm glad I won very comfortable today. Q. Your success last year obviously gives you a lot more confidence. To take away a player like that in the third round probably isn't something you could have done last year. DINARA SAFINA: I'm in the top 10, some it's some other level. It's good that I could change, let's say, from my other match. Even though I won after 6‑3, 6‑Love, now I played a completely different game. I was much more aggressive and I was just playing my game. Q. Do you feel you're gradually improving each round? DINARA SAFINA: Well, definitely. Also the score's improving (laughter). Q. You said after your last match when you play passive you don't play as well. Is that because you're getting more aggressive? DINARA SAFINA: Well, yeah, because there is no other way. I'm not a roadrunner on the court. I cannot be as fast as some other players, but I have some other weapons. If I use my power, then I have to run less. It's time to use it sometimes. Q. You're feeling fitter than you've ever been. What was the turnaround with your fitness? DINARA SAFINA: Well, it's just that, yeah, I'm fitter and I have, let's say, a tennis coach that I'm working already, let's say, almost full year, yeah, with him. I have a condition coach with me traveling, so it's day by day the same person working on me. Same on tennis the court, same I'm working on my fitness. That's why I think you never see me taped. Q. Are you proud of the performance of the Russian girls generally? DINARA SAFINA: Yeah, but actually I'm not following how many of them there are. I try to focus on myself, you know. How many there are, four or five, I'm not counting. Q. You say you're focused on yourself now. Will you watch Marat tonight?DINARA SAFINA: Yeah. This, yes, for sure (smiling). ;D Q. Are you tipping an upset tonight for Marat against Roger, a shock result? DINARA SAFINA: Well, I hope on center court with winning, I hope he can close the same way I win today. I hope so. Q. Do you see Marat a lot during this tournament? DINARA SAFINA: I saw him once after my first round match, and that's all. Everyone is practicing different times. And I don't like to bother him, you know, to go for dinner. He has his company. I have my company. You know, once the tournament finish, yeah, we can go all together. But he goes later than me for dinner. I go earlier. He has his life. I have my life. Q. So you don't stay in the same hotel? DINARA SAFINA: We do live in the same hotel, yeah, but we're not sleeping in the same room (laughter). Q. You stay in the comfort of your room tonight or come to watch?
DINARA SAFINA: I will come to watch him. Yeah, I want to watch him. I think it's gonna be great match. I hope they both can show their best. God knows who gonna win. Q. Reaching a Grand Slam final, is the hardest thing the mental side of getting there, or is it the physical side of getting there? DINARA SAFINA: A little bit of everything. Let's say last year when I get to the final of French Open, I was in the final maybe not as fresh as Ana. She had only one three‑setter against Jankovic in the semis. Against Sharapova I had to pull out the match with the match having match point against them. Next round the same against Dementieva having match point against me. I think more mentally than physically. Because if mentally you're fresh, you can help your body, you know, to give the last step. If mentally you are tired, then you go even more down and everything is going down.
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Post by helloticky on Jan 23, 2009 2:35:17 GMT -5
Article from Aussie Open also Safina reaches career-best in AustraliaFriday 23 January 2009 By Vanessa Skendaris www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/match_reports/2009-01-23/200901231232678562031.htmlWomen’s world No.3 Dinara Safina has advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time, thrashing Estonian Kaia Kanepi in an easy 6-2 6-2 win on Friday. The 2008 French Open finalist displayed her power game, showing no signs of the rustiness that was evident in her first two matches against compatriots Alla Kudryavtseva and Ekaterina Makarova. “Yeah, I'm really happy. There's a first time for everything. Twice I lost in the third round. I was like this today, ‘That is the third time. Should be the luckiest one’. Actually, I'm glad I won very comfortable today,” she said in her post-match press conference. Safina was all class from the beginning, sprinting to a 4-0 lead before Kanepi could settle into the match. Hitting seven winners in the opening set, Safina had her 28th-ranked opponent down a set after 33 minutes. Safina continued to cruise in the second set, breaking the 23-year-old Estonian again and dashing to a 4-1 lead. Serving at 4-1, Safina kept delivering her strong groundstrokes, hitting a ripping forehand winner down the line. The Russian is scheduled to play 19th seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia or 15th seed Alize Cornet of France in the fourth round. Quick factsKanepi recorded 30 unforced errors to Safina’s 18 Safina won 81 per cent of points when she landed her first serve The Russian converted on four of six break point opportunities; Kanepi was 0-for-3 Kanepi’s average first serve speed of 174km/h was faster than Safina’s quickest serve of the match, a delivery of 167km/h
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Post by helloticky on Jan 23, 2009 13:19:41 GMT -5
Little sister no moreThe article by Jessica Halloran on January 24, 2009 www.theage.com.au/news/sport/tennis/little-sister-no-more/2009/01/23/1232471595059.htmlSECRET books and words to overhaul her mind. A blood-type diet that caused her to shed seven kilograms. A former Olympic sprinter to help her rip her muscles into shape. And finally, a coach who is helping her to truly believe in herself and slip out of her brother Marat Safin's shadow. Much has changed for Dinara Safina in the past year. It was after a shocking first-round loss at the Australian Open last year that Safina did away with her coach and employed former Croatian player Zelijko Krajon to guide her full-time. With that appointment, change has come about in Safina's mind and she now holds the No. 3 spot in the world. She could be the world No. 1 by the end of next week. Yesterday, Krajon said that when he first encountered Safina she lacked confidence on the tennis court. "She knew there was something inside of her but she couldn't get it out," Krajon said. "She knew she had the shots, but she didn't know how to put it all into place. She always believe that she could be one of the best, that's the most important part, but she didn't know how to do it. "She had problems with why she didn't believe in anything. She wondered why she didn't have confidence. I didn't have to change anything of her technique in tennis, was fine, it was just the mental part — she had lost all her confidence." It was this time four years ago that her older brother pointed out that his little sister needed to "grow up" and listen. She had just lost 2-6, 6-1, 6-0 to Amelie Mauresmo in the second round in Melbourne. A then 18-year-old Safina, world No. 44, had choked. Marat was gently asked this question; "She lost today, obviously, but has her tennis improved a lot in the last year, do you think?". Marat candidly replied: "She needs to have a character and she needs to be a little bit grown-up woman. Of course, she is little bit young, and I know everything everybody saying to her, she is still young, she has big future in front of her. But I'm sorry, if you don't really understand yourself what's going on, it's little bit difficult for somebody to fix it and explain it. Nobody going to tell her what to do; she has to decide for herself, you know. It's my duty to help her, but if she doesn't want to listen …" But in the past year Safina has started to understand herself better and is listening. This week, Marat praised her maturity and ascent on the tour. On the eve of the Open he tipped her as a good chance to win. Safina has become mentally tough. And Krajon fires her up with motivational phrases to keep her confidence on a high. He will not disclose exactly what he says to keep her on track. "There are many things I say to her but I will not, should not, say because then everyone will know," Krajon said. "There is always different pressure for losing, for winning the crowd, but unfortunately I won't talk about it." Then there's the "secret" motivational books. "She's reading some of the books I was reading when I was tennis player and now as a coach," Krajon said. "But I'm not going to mention them because maybe all of the sudden it gets out and everyone knows her secrets. Some secrets have to stay secret." And these may be the secrets that propel her to her first grand slam title next week. Safina clearly idolises her brother and was planning to be courtside at last night's match when Marat played Roger Federer. Her brother has two grand slam titles to his name, the US and the Australian opens, and she aspires to achieve what he has managed. During the Kremlin Cup in 2004, Marat interviewed her for French newspaper L'Equipe and her adoration of her brother was clear. "You're my god," Safina said. "When you play, I love watching you. When you lose, I'm even sadder than when I lose. When you're hurt, I suffer. When you talk to me, I drink your words. When you come to see me playing, I'm beside myself with joy. I hate hearing or reading something bad about you. I know you are hard-working and that you do everything you can to be number one. For me, you have the biggest talent of any player and I don't have half of your talent." Then 17, now 22, Safina is starting believe she has that talent and is finding her identity on the tour. She has matured and finished in the top 10 for the first time last season. This week she said that by being No. 3 seed here she was no longer just known as "Marat's little sister". "Before, really, I was known as Marat's sister, nothing else," Safina said. "Yes, I had some success, but I cannot compare to what I have now. So I prefer to be in this case than last year, you know." She's finding her own identity. "I don't like to bother him, you know, to go for dinner," she said. "He has his company. I have my company. You know, once the tournament finish, yeah, we can go all together. But he goes later than me for dinner. I go earlier. He has his life. I have my life." Krajon said: "I think she is stepping out of the shadow." And Safina looks and hits stronger than ever before. She's slimmed down her 182-centimetre frame to 70 kilograms after consulting a doctor in Moscow about her diet last year. Then after the French Open last May, in which Safina made the final, she was joined by Dejan Vojnovic, a retired Croatian Olympic sprinter who is now Safina's full-time fitness coach. "She is strong, she lost seven kilos," Krajon said. "She lost the weight but it was another thing to get really strong. She improved her strength and power. But basically it's because of her good diet. She saw someone in Moscow that helped her with her diet, who did something with the blood; they put her on the blood-type diet. I have nothing to do with this but some doctor. It worked." She easily knocked over Estonia's Kaia Kanepi yesterday 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time. But, while Marat has said she can win the slam, what does her coach think? "Now, if she wins it or not it will depend on many things," Krajon said. "It's about how you handle the pressure of it, mentally how you handle it, but she has a possibility to win it here." Safina yesterday said she knew a grand slam victory came down to mental toughness. "I think more mentally than physically," Safina said. "Because if mentally you're fresh, you can help your body, you know, to give the last step. If mentally you are tired, then you go even more down and everything is going down."
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Post by helloticky on Jan 25, 2009 1:12:57 GMT -5
After match 4th round Aussie 25-01-09 Dinara beat Cornet 6-2 2-6 7-5
Q. Was it your experience that got you through in the end?
DINARA SAFINA: I guess. Or maybe she was just not ready to win this match, because she had it all in the hands.
Q. She served for the match at 5‑4 and you broke her back.
DINARA SAFINA: She had 40‑15 on her serve.
Q. What was going through your mind? What tactics were you thinking?
DINARA SAFINA: Tactics? Not really. Just what I'm doing on the court, you know, having the whole ‑‑ you know, it was all about me first set, playing solid. Nothing special, just my game. It's 5‑Love for me. Okay, I had set point on her serve. She hit a lucky shot, 5‑1. Losing so fast my serve, 5‑2, and then I break her again, 6‑2 for me. 1‑Love, 15‑40 on her serve.
From 1‑Love to go down 5‑1, it should have never happened to me, being No. 3 in the world. I played really like a junior today. I think it's just lucky that I went through.
But really it's sad that I can do these kind of mistakes.
Q. Can you pick yourself up for the next match?
DINARA SAFINA: I have to. There is no other way, you know. Because really it's sad what I did today.
Q. It's not the first time you've had matches where you let yourself go down. When you're facing the match points, what are you thinking? She gets nervous or that you have to play more aggressive?
DINARA SAFINA: I don't even remember what I did at 15‑40. She missed.
Q. She had two unforced errors.
DINARA SAFINA: Two unforced errors. So, well, she never been in the quarters. I guess this was going through the mind. She never beat me. This also can go through her mind. I have a chance; I'm serving for the match; I have a match point.
I guess she was just not ready for beat me. I was just hanging in there. Nothing special that I did. I understand that sometimes it happens that I have a match point and I hit a winner, but it's her unforced errors.
Q. But the positive for you is that you're managing to fight through these matches, and maybe your level will come in the next three?
DINARA SAFINA: I mean, the game is there. It's just that I'm soft on myself. I mean, winning 6‑2 and then having 1‑Love, 15‑40 on her serve, being dominant, and then like somebody switch me off and I started to just play.
Of course, because she was complaining about everything, I don't know what, her shoulder, this. I just started to look at her, what she's doing, instead of focusing myself and continuing being aggressive.
I just don't know. I'm so stupid looking at her instead of myself.
Q. If things fall right, you could leave here as the world No. 1. You don't sound like you think you're ready for that.
DINARA SAFINA: Well, you know, it's tough because still I'm sad about this match, you know. Of course, I have a chance to play quarters and I have a chance to play better. I'm just a little bit disappointing about this match, you know. Playing against this girl and allowing myself to do these kind of mistakes.
Q. In some way you must be pleased you were able to come back from two breaks down in the third set.
DINARA SAFINA: Of course, you know. But how many times I need to ‑‑ how many chances I need to have? I'm also lucky that I won first round. The girl, I didn't even have to stay in the court because she was playing with herself. Se was shooting ten balls in the fence, one in the court.
I was lucky to go through second round, because the girl, she could not win the match. Okay, third round at least I played something. Today again the girl has I think ‑‑ I just don't know how many more times I need to prove that either I play or I ready to go home.
The game is there. I just don't know what's going on through my mind.
Q. What did your coach say to you after the match?
DINARA SAFINA: The same. He said if I play like this, you gonna leave home. He said it makes no point for him to sit there and seeing myself playing completely different from what I'm practicing. Practicing playing aggressive, hitting the balls ‑‑ from 10 times 10 I hit exactly where I need to hit aggressive.
Come to the court and completely like just shadow is playing. Like, you know, Dinara is there, but just not me. So he's like, Okay, if you continue playing like this, I mean, it's better that I go home. I cannot tell you anything from sitting there. Because what I can tell you? You playing even more passive.
I mean, he's telling me at 5‑4, Hit the ball. I telling myself, Hit the ball, and just arm doesn't go because my mind is just stupid.
Q. It's almost like you have similarities to Marat. There's two different Dinaras.
DINARA SAFINA: It looks like (smiling).
I don't know, if you guys see me practicing, I mean, there is not one ball that I push aggressive, moving aggressive. Come to the court and I'm running outside of Melbourne by the shadows, just missing the umpires. Next time I think I will run behind there. Like there is fence and there is still some space there. So maybe next time I'll run even there.
Q. Can you realize during the match you're doing that?
DINARA SAFINA: Today I was just like ‑‑ second set I was like, Come on, play the way you've been playing. I think just too much in my mind going through. I realize that I'm not playing any more like aggressive.
First set, she has no chance to handle. From no chance to handle she's making me run. So I guess I'm doing something wrong.
Just, I don't know. I'm lucky that I went through.
Q. What is your strategy for tomorrow?
DINARA SAFINA: Tomorrow I'm playing? No, I'm not playing tomorrow.
Q. Your next game.
DINARA SAFINA: At least to come back to Melbourne. This is the first. Because being outside of Melbourne I think I don't win so many points.
Second, just hit the ball at least 10, 15K faster, not pushing, you know. Just play the way I can play, nothing else. There is no secret. The problem is that I'm doubting because I'm not playing the game I used to play. I'm just ‑‑ I don't know. Either somebody just smacks me so hard in my head that something shakes finally and I put the cables together.
Q. Do you think maybe you're being too hard on yourself and that's the reason why you're not playing the game you want to play?
DINARA SAFINA: If I'm soft, I'm not doing it either. If I'm hard, also I'm not doing. I don't know. Maybe I need to find the middle. I don't know, really. Something is like ‑‑ I think it's better to be hard than soft and saying, Oh, yes, I won. I'm in the quarterfinal.
I think it's better to be hard and saying like, What are you doing? Just be happy that you won. I mean, Come on, just wake up. Maybe it happens like in Los Angeles when I pulled the match against Kudryavtseva with having match point. At least there I served ace.
Q. You feel like this match is much different than the one against Maria and Elena in Paris, because you felt like you were playing better there?
DINARA SAFINA: Different. Against Sharapova at least I hit the winner. Against Dementieva, after that, I was just pushing the ball. I mean, this I think is the same match as against Dementieva, exactly the same, because I was not doing anything, just bringing the ball back.
Okay, at 5‑2 I played two games a little bit different. At least I was closer to the line Melbourne. At least I was running in the same sides.
Q. Did you think back for a moment, when you were 5‑2 down, to those matches?
DINARA SAFINA: No, no, because I'm there. It's all about me. She's not serving me aces. I mean, somebody who serves hard, it's tough. You would say 5‑2, double break, then I just have to be lucky she doesn't serve first serve.
She is not serving aces, so it's all about me. Every time is the rally. Just hit a little bit more to the side. Actually, I did this at 5‑2. She was just, again, picking up the balls. Okay, at 5‑4, I don't know, I was picking up the balls.
Q. It seems like none of the top players are very confident in this tournament. Maybe Serena a little bit. Jankovic lost.
DINARA SAFINA: Dementieva.
Q. And Dementieva.
DINARA SAFINA: I think it's the first Grand Slam. Okay, for me it's the first time I'm actually in the quarters. I never did a great results here, so I'm pleased.
Maybe just, I don't know, this is the way I'm playing in Australia. I don't know. But from the other hand, I think it's just the first Grand Slam, because, you know, like nobody's playing great. You have a chance. You are there, but you are not mentally. Still like need to do something, I don't know. I think just still need some more tournaments to find ourselves.
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Post by helloticky on Jan 25, 2009 1:17:39 GMT -5
The article Safina's great escapeSunday 25 January 2009 By Helen Gilbert After beat Cornet & went through 1/4 final www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/match_reports/2009-01-25/200901251232854221687.htmlDinara Safina survived a fourth round scare and two match points to dispose of France's Alize Cornet 6-2 2-6 7-5 at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday, but only after a topsy-turvy display. Earlier in the day, Australian Open 2009 top seed Jelena Jankovic had fallen to Marion Bartoli – another French player – on the same court, and it looked like Safina’s encounter would go the same way. Safina staged a remarkable comeback from 2-5 down in the third, defended two match points and - despite racking up an astonishing 21 unforced errors in the final set alone - managed to book her place in the Australian Open quarterfinals for the first time in her career. In the first set, the Russian third seed was relentless in her onslaught of the up-and-coming Frenchwoman, grinding her opponent down from the back of the court. A gutsy player, Safina always goes for her shots no matter the situation, and this was typified as she served for the opening set leading 5-1. On her first set point, she blasted a backhand out. An over-hit forehand stopped her from claiming the second. She then served two consecutive double faults on the third deuce, and the opportunity to take the set had escaped her. While the Russian closed it out on the following game, her inconsistency appeared to bolster the confidence of her French challenger. Cornet, who fell in straight sets to Safina a couple of weeks ago in the quarterfinals in Sydney, looked a new player in the second. She took control of points and capitalised on the Russian’s inconsistent performance. Very soon she had mirrored the first set score to level the match at a set apiece, and began the final set breaking the Russian seemingly at will to sprint ahead to a 5-2 lead. Safina then challenged what she thought was a winning shot on the right baseline. It was a wise move – her ball had clipped the line, and she was able to snatch a break and hold the following serve. Fingernails were in short supply in the next game as Cornet held two match points. Ambitious play ensued; Safina attacked, and Cornet squandered her chances, hitting one ball out and the other into the net. That was when the match began to slip away. The Russian held in the following game and earned a match point on the Frenchwoman's serve. Superb play by Cornet saved one, but a netted backhand gave her Russian opponent a second chance, which Safin claimed on a drive forehand volley. After her great escape, Safina will play either Australia’s Jelena Dokic or Russia’s Alisa Kleybanova in the quarterfinals. Quick factsThe nail-biting final set took 59 minutes Safina had 52 unforced errors and eight double faults to Cornet’s 29 errors and four double faults The Russian had 32 winners to Cornet’s 19 Safina won 18 of the 27 points where she came to the net; Cornet was 4-for-6 on net approaches
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Post by madisone69 on Jan 25, 2009 4:14:33 GMT -5
in the itw of Jelena Jankovic I liked well a question:
Q. You're likely to probably lose your No. 1 ranking. Is that at all a concern or not a priority?
JELENA JANKOVIC: Well, I'm not really thinking about that. If whoever gonna come back to, you know, that spot, if maybe Safina can do it if she wins this tournament. You know, she deserves to be there. If she doesn't, then I will stay there.
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Post by dinarafan91 on Jan 25, 2009 5:28:10 GMT -5
I don't much like Jelena, but i admit she can be funny.. And i must say, she is insanely right about Dinara lol! There's always talk about the swapping and changing of No.1's in the womens side, but i hope to god its not like the top3 mens. You had Federer dominating for so long, than poor Rafe at 2 for just as long and than Nole at 3 for just aslong lol! I just hope things don't stay stuck like that in the womens side for that long
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Post by ¤º¤ Anik ¤º¤ on Jan 25, 2009 16:29:30 GMT -5
Safina's harshest critic Sunday 25 January 2009 By Alix Ramsay
If this is Dinara Safina when she is winning, you really would not want to bump into her when she is losing. The world No. 3 took the roundabout route to the Australian Open 2009 quarterfinals, cruising past Alize Cornet for a set, falling apart at the seams for a set, and then clinging on by her fingernails for a set of nerves, tension and missed opportunities to win 6-2 2-6 7-5.
It was not pretty to watch and, by all accounts, it was not pretty to witness at court level either. Even though Safina was into the last eight in Melbourne for the first time in her career, she was not happy. Not happy at all.
"I played really like a junior today," she said, cutting herself no slack whatsoever. "I think it's just lucky that I went through. But really it's sad that I can do these kind of mistakes. Really, it's sad what I did today."
Normally, when a player is wheeled out in front of the world's media, the hacks are looking for a little emotion. Anger is good. Tears are better. We are suckers for a bit of sobbing. But as Safina berated herself time and again – and did it in a very controlled and rational manner – the scribes began to twitch. Come on, Dinara, surely you have to give yourself a little credit for pulling the result out of the fire? Apparently not.
"How many chances I need to have?" Safina said with a shrug. "I'm also lucky that I won first round. The girl, I didn't even have to stay in the court because she was playing against herself. She was shooting 10 balls in the fence, one in the court."
This line of reasoning led to a litany of mistakes, fluffed chances and duff matches that the Russian had played since she arrived at Melbourne Park. According to Safina, all but one of her matches so far have been a disaster, and she is lucky still to be involved in the competition. Even her coach thinks so.
"He's telling me at 5‑4, ‘Hit the ball’," she said. "I telling myself, ‘Hit the ball’, and just arm doesn't go because my mind is just stupid."
By this time, we had all got the general gist of the argument – Safina was practising like a champion but playing like a plum. And she was not pleased about it at all. This, though, should not have come as a surprise.
As the sister of Marat Safin, a man not known for his mental stability, she has all the family characteristics: a thumpingly powerful game, an ability to self-destruct at the drop of a first serve, and a disarmingly open personality. Being like Marat may win her a lot of friends, but it does not make winning major titles any easier.
With this in mind, and after being dumped out of last year's Australian Open in the first round, Safina decided that she needed a major change. She hired a new coach – Zeljko Krajan – she dropped seven kilos in weight and, after losing in the French Open final last year, she employed a full-time fitness trainer in Dejan Vojnovic.
Krajan has tried everything he knows to try and instill a sense of belief and confidence into his charge, and even has her reading the same motivational books that he used when he was playing. So far it has worked like a dream on the practice courts, but it is yet to make an appearance on the match court.
"He said it makes no point for him to sit there and seeing myself playing completely different from what I'm practicing," Safina said, obviously having had a few terse words with Mr Krajan. "Practicing playing aggressive, hitting the balls: from 10 times, 10 I hit exactly where I need to hit aggressive.
"Come to the court and completely like just shadow is playing. Like Dinara is there, but just not me. So he's like, ‘Okay, if you continue playing like this, it's better that I go home’."
For the moment, both Safina and Krajan are safely booked into their hotels for a few more days. That gives them a little more time to try and solve the problem of what lies between the Russian's ears. Safina, though, is not holding out much hope. She thinks it is time to take drastic action.
"Somebody just smacks me so hard in my head that something shakes finally and I put the cables together," she said.
She sounds like Marat, she looks like Marat and, one day, she can win like Marat. Maybe then she might just be happy …
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Post by ¤º¤ Anik ¤º¤ on Jan 27, 2009 9:44:05 GMT -5
Safina ends Dokic dream By Vanessa Skendaris Jelena Dokic’s amazing run at Australian Open 2009 has ended, bowing out in the quarterfinals to world No.3 Dinara Safina in three thrilling close sets, 6-4 4-6 6-4, in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena crowd on Tuesday night. Dokic, a wildcard at this year’s Open, couldn’t be happier with her performance over the past week despite her comeback being halted by Safina. “I think it was a good match. Physically I was not in my best shape. I played three sets with the No. 3 player in the world. Everything is positive. I've had a great tournament,” she said post-match. “Yeah, it's a little bit disappointing. I had some chances, even in that third set, and couldn't hold my serve. had a lot of game points in each game.
“Sometimes things go your way, and sometimes they don't. There's nothing to be disappointed about.”
The match was a tight affair from the very beginning as both players worked each other hard around the court, hitting deep groundstrokes from the baseline.
Safina admitted the match had been tough.
“Basically I was trying to just find my game and going for my shots and just be aggressive, not let her dictate,” she said in her post-match press conference.
“Sometimes I was doing this, and sometimes not. If I let her play, she's a great player. She makes me move around. She was going for her shots.”
Safina, a French Open finalist in 2008, came out firing in the beginning, breaking the 25-year-old Australian’s serve in the opening game to snatch a 2-0 lead. The feisty Dokic soon climbed her way back into the set, levelling it at three games apiece.
Dokic then began to make numerous errors which gave Safina chances to break her serve again, which the Russian did to snare a 5-4 lead en route to serving out the first set in 36 minutes.
The second set followed a similar pattern to the first, but this time Dokic was the first to secure a break as Safina couldn’t manage to land a first serve, double faulting twice.
Serving in the third game with a 2-0 lead, Dokic saved five break points with a forehand winner down the line after a lengthy game which lasted five deuces.
Dokic looked in control of the set as she dashed to a 3-1 lead, but failed to stay on top as Safina broke back at 2-3. Despite exchanging breaks of serve in the next three games, the pair produced nail-biting tennis, regularly unleashing their powerful forehands from the baseline.
At 4-5 down serving to stay in the set, Safina still couldn’t get her serve under control. She served a double fault to give Dokic set point, and then added another, her eighth for the set, to even the match at a set apiece.
It was anyone’s match in the deciding set as the pair continued to produce high-quality tennis. Dokic dropped her serve again in the opening game which gave Safina a 2-0 lead. Dokic then bounced back to level the set 4-4.
With the local crowd behind her, Dokic continued to fight, but it was Safina’s speed and stamina that got her over the line and into her first Australian Open semifinal.
“ dream is always there. But, you know, now that it's [the] semifinal, whatever happens, happens. I want to go out there and play my game, and let's see who is gonna be stronger that day,” Safina said.
Safina will now meet compatriot Vera Zvonareva, who has also reached her first Australian Open semifinal.
Heading into the all-Russian duel, Safina said that playing more assertively will ensure a win over Zvonareva, who she rates as a hard player to beat.
“Next round I play Vera, and she plays very good. I have to take the time off her and take the balls much earlier. Definitely I will have to be much more aggressive than today.”
Quick facts
Dokic made 54 unforced errors to Safina’s 36
Safina served five aces and 11 double faults, eight of which came in the second set, while Dokic had four aces and eight double faults
Dokic hit 29 winners, while Safina had 23
Safina converted six of her 19 break point opportunities, while Dokic capitalised on five of her 12 break point chances
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ROSIE
Ballboy
I'm trying to control my emotions, I'm not playing my best, but still, it's not easy to beat me.
Posts: 190
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Post by ROSIE on Jan 27, 2009 18:57:27 GMT -5
I was soo happy that Dinara won. I cannot stand jelena Dokic, everyone in Australia was so against Dinara and I felt so sorry for her. That Jelena Dokic is as cold as an iceburg, she is not friendly and very annoying
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