2004 Tennis Masters Cup
Date: 2004-11-19
Safin def. Henman 6-2, 7-6

Question You've just taken out the British No. 1. You're very much the form horse at the moment. You've won back-to-back Masters Series titles in Madrid and Paris. Now you're going to take on the World No. 1, Roger Federer. What are you and Peter Lundgren going to bring to the table in order to successfully take out the World No. 1, Roger Federer?
Answer That's quite difficult to do something, something special, against him because he's the one who is controlling the game and he's doing really well. He's very far from all of us, the way he played this year. So it's really tough to compete against him. It's going to be really tough. So you have to - I don't know - you have to be there and wait for the small chances. Is not gonna be any big chances. You have to wait just for something. And of course be confident, try to be confident, because I have nothing to lose. I secured my No. 4 in the world. Basically, it's also quite a challenge for me just to finish the year. I don't really have a lot of pressure, so also it's a good sign. And I will try to go for it.

Question Of course your present coach is Federer's ex-coach. Surely he's going to give you some special strategy to actually try...
Answer Yeah, but it's like I said before. It's really difficult to bring something to the table, you know, like, and discuss it, there was a special plan for it. I played him many times, I know how to play against him. But the way he's playing and the confidence that he has right now, during this year, it's really difficult to, you know, like to beat him this way or other way. Just it's going to be really tough. So just we have to wait for the mistakes or wait for the opportunities that he will give you. But the plan is always the same. It's not going to change. I played him six times. Whatever comes, comes. Just you need to be a little bit more luckily, a little bit... yeah, little bit of luck would be great for tomorrow.

Question Back to today's match, you looked tired in the second set. Many unforced errors. How many gas do you still have, and how eager are you to play with your next opponent?
Answer No, but the second set was a little bit tiring because I lost a little bit of concentration. I wasn't focused enough, like I was the first set. I was waiting for his mistakes, and I thought that I'm going to break him any time I want. I felt this way after the first set, and I was wrong. Then he had a couple of chances to break me, and just it almost cost me a set. Like in a tiebreak, you never know; it's a lottery. So I wasn't really tired, just not really focused enough.

Question I've been in a couple of press conferences with you this year in Hamburg and at Wimbledon when you seemed to be on the verge of quitting tennis. Here you are now playing absolutely exceptional tennis. How do you work that one out?
Answer First of all, I didn't want to quit after Wimbledon. I just said that I'm not gonna...

Question The way you were speaking, I don't mean quit exactly. You felt so bad.
Answer I was really upset because Wimbledon, okay, let's go back to Wimbledon. Every time I have the same question. I have nothing against Wimbledon. I have nothing against the courts that they have. Just for me, personally, I'm not going to waste my time on something where I cannot -- that I don't see my tennis to, you know, like the way I will enjoy it. I'm not enjoying the Wimbledon. Me, personally, I don't like the surface. I'm not good at it. And for what I need to waste my time two weeks before to prepare for it, just especially for the tournament? You come to Wimbledon, you go crazy. So I'm not gonna do it. Of course I was pissed because once you, you know, you prepare all the time, you prepare for two weeks, you are practicing, practicing to lose in the first round against the guy who is ranked 70 in the world and the last time he won a match was like half a year ago. So it was not really like a perfect stage of mind. But now, compared to now, I am completely different. Just I'm really doing well. I'm really happy the way that things have turned around, you know, completely, starting from US Open. Just for that I have to really say thanks to Peter. He tried to, you know, like he was very patient with me.

Question Did you need motivating? Was that the bottom line?
Answer Yeah, but it's also very important -- of course, motivation. When you are not playing well, you don't have the motivation at all. The motivation goes down, you know, because you're not enjoying it, you're not doing well, you're not winning. So the motivation, what's the motivation? Every time you go to the court you cannot put two balls inside of the court, even in practice. Then you come and you lose to some guys you never even thought about losing. Then of course the motivation goes. You want to just leave, leave the court and, you know, have a couple of months of vacations. It's really so annoying because you spend a lot of years of tennis, and then you find yourself in a situation where you don't really know how to hit the ball anymore. It happens.

Question Does this mean that you are not going to play Wimbledon next year?
Answer No, I'm gonna play, but I'm not gonna be there two weeks before and practicing on the courts. I'm gonna come like everybody is coming on Thursday before the tournament, practice three hours a day, do my stuff, and whatever, you know... Because I played there for five years, and the best result I made in the quarterfinals; I don't know how, I can't explain. And then other four years, I was just like useless. So for me personally, for my confidence and for my ego, I prefer not to play this tournament, not to waste my energy, my nerves. They are much more expensive than the prize money of second round or first one (laughter). I prefer just to have vacations.

Question People actually say, including Tim Henman, that the courts at Wimbledon now play slower than they used to. They slowed them down.
Answer Yeah, but you are talking about the specialist on the grass court. Me, I am far, far from Tim. The way he's playing on the grass court, just I wish I could play this way one day. But definitely it's not going to happen in this life, in this lifetime.

Question But you'll be there?
Answer Yeah, I'll be there, man. I'll be there (smiling).

Question One question back to the match. Can you talk about what it is you did really well tonight or what you thought you did better tonight than, say, against Andy.
Answer The way that I started the match, that I was playing the first set, I was returning, I was not really giving him any easy points, you know, on the serve when he was serving. So he was already under pressure from the first game. I made him a break and he was already couldn't find himself, and I was pretty confident. Second set, he started to play well so I had to be there all the time, you know, stay focused just to hold my serve and wait for the opportunities. They were not coming. I had like was deuce, and I make two easy unforced errors. Not much. I didn't have anything. But I was there, focused, making my passing shots, you know, like serving well. Try to...

Question Backhand?
Answer Yeah, backhand, backhand was great. Just try to hold there, stay there, and be focused.

Question One other question about you mentioned your coach, Peter. I know that Andy has said that he and Brad don't have dinner away from the matches or tournaments. Do you guys go out and have a few beers to help bond outside of the tournament?
Answer Yeah, when we have time. I mean, when we have time. We're not like -- whenever we feel like going together, we go. But he has his life, I have my life, and that's the most important thing. You don't want to be obsessed with each other because then it's like it's already is not tennis and -- coach and the player, it's already relationship between the father and the son. Don't want that. Whenever we feel like going together for dinner and having a few drinks afterwards, great. If not, you know, he has his friends, I have my friends. That's why this relationship is doing so well. I mean, like it's no pressure, nobody's getting pissed if you're not going together somewhere. It's great. I think he is comfortable. I am comfortable with that, he is comfortable with this. That's the most important thing, you know. To be able to work in the long run, I think it's better this way, still keep the coach and the player instead of, you know, like being a father and a son, I guess, so...

Question Since Peter has been working with you, does he ever use Roger Federer as an example to help you in your game? Did he ever use Roger as an example for you, for your game or attitude?
Answer Yeah but, no, never. Actually never. Because we are completely different. We have completely different mentality with Roger.

Question Yes.
Answer Yeah (smiling). So, like, to give an example, it's not -- it will not be the right thing, you know, to do. But finally he understood who I am couple of weeks, couple of months. But some people, they don't even -- they live with each other and they don't understand until they get divorced. So it really was good, you know, that he understands, he respects who I am. He's trying to help where he can to make it work. Even though that I am breaking racquets and everything, so... He did a great job, and I really respect. And I was really there, you know, like to learn, which is also good. I have to take some credit for myself also.

Question If you beat Roger tomorrow, do you think Roger can reconsider to get back to his previous coach?
Answer If he will get back?

Question If you beat him tomorrow, Roger, do you think Roger will hire his previous coach?
Answer No, he's busy already (laughter). But, still, I mean, Peter, he will do whatever he wants to do.

Question How can you rate your fitness level and what can you say about your fitness coach, Mr. Landers?
Answer Mr. Landers (smiling). Physically, it's really difficult to be like 100 percent after such a long year, like we are having like every year. I mean, it's like too long, and this is last tournament of the year. So to be perfectly, physically fit, it's really, really difficult. Otherwise, you will need to have a couple of months off and to work on yourself, you know, like fully. We're coming from playing, you know, so many tournaments, and the energy is -- there is enough energy only for one tournament basically. Yeah, but he's doing his job. I'm keeping myself, you know, doing massages so I don't be, you know -- don't get injured. He's doing well. But nothing specifically for fitness.