Safin's retirement racket...
 

Well I've seen two Safin exhibition matches now on the senior tour, one with Sampras in China and looks like he used his prestige classic without PJ, and on the other in Malaysia with Agassi and other two players for a doubles match, looks like he is using the newer TGK 237.3, what's intriguing me, is the fact his strings look black, is he using now HEAD's sonic pro and finally left BB original after retirement?
Does anybody know anything about this?

THANKS!!

Here's another:

I still can't believe Safin is retired and playing seniors and exos. Fool can toy with the top 10 if he wants to.

Agreed. So much skill. He could easily be right up there, even at his age.

I would say he is no longer making the big bucks and to save some money in strings he using whatever he gets for free, it is not like doesn't get paid if he loses.

I think that too, but I think he never took tennis too seriously, he once said that he was about to retire just before he won his 1st slam, the US Open, he had 18 and he was about to retire, I think he likes to party, have a good time and enjoy life, which is completely valid, he had a great career, but yes, he could have won a lot more if he had focused and believed in himself,

Safin is what Agassi would have been had he not decided to take tennis seriously later in his career. All the talent in the world with all the I don't give a damn to go along with it.

My favorite player ever. Pure talent. Pure emotion. Never did anything becasue he was obliged to.

I remember I walked by him after he lost at LeggMason one year. Said, 'Hey,Marat'... He looked at me like I hit on his girlfriend and turned around. Lundgren was chain smoking and Marat refused an autograph for a 10yo with an oversized ball.

A 'normal' person would've scourned him for his behaviour. I felt like I just walked by Dirty Harry and loved that experience, pure honesty. After a loss, most pros are accomodating to a certain extent. Marat wore his emotions on his sleeve and when he was 'on'.. he was the absolute best.

totally agree... he defeadted federer at his very best prime in 2005, no more proof needed

It's not that he really wanted to retire, he just had a period where he was really struggling and began to question himself. Everyone has gone through stages in their life where they have felt exactly the same way

From after his 2005 Aus Open win (which was the last tournament he won)until he retired in 2009 he struggled. Those were some 4 long painful years for him.

That's true as always VS, but I still think he wasn't too focused or determined after that, also injuries were present since those days, I'll take Hewwitt's case for an example, he also won 2 slams, and it's been really long since he has won anything, but still, he tries his best every match, trains hard and gives his best everytime, I remember Safin throwing matches to the trash can from a critical point he missed and that little point then turned into sets and matches, but still for me, greatest underachiever, such a shame time doesn't forgive or allow to remain on the top always...

Since Hewitt's last Grand slam win he has won at least one tournament every year. So a big difference there for Hewitt. The guy is far more stable and competes better. That is why he is still around competing and winning.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/P...witt.aspx?t=tf

exactly, why does safin do this to us:confused:

sorry my bad, I thought his surgery also kept him away from winning

The last few years he was on tour he was not beating let alone toying with to many guys ranked in the top 10. In his last year his only top 10 win was against Davydenko and he had a losing record at 19-22.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/P...y=2009&m=s&e=0

In 2008 he broke even at 24-24 win-loss. Again his only top 10 win was against Davydenko and a out of form Djokovic at Wimbledon. If it was not for his miraculous 2008 Wimbledon run to the semis he would have had a losing record.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/P...y=2006&m=s&e=0

Safin was burnt out. He was done.

No worries. I liked Safin too. He was very interesting to watch. But the reality is 2007, 2008, and 2009 were horrible years with the exception that somehow he put it together a good run at the 2008 Wimbledon. Other than that it was a poor performance for the most part. That is why he is not playing anymore. 2009 was exceptionally painful to watch especially his losses at Monte Carlo and the French Open when he had those matches in hand.

The djokovic victory, for me, was just a small taste of what's Safin capable, if he had waited a little more and concentrated on practice, maybe he could have regained strenght after surgery and gain more confidence on movement and forehand, which for me, was the shot that he struggled more after it...

The Monte match was against Lapentti right? I can still remember that match if so, he had a match point and ended up loosing in the end. Yes, too sad indeed...

Yes, thats the match. It's painful watching any player implode.