Why Safin struggles again?

[Vlad]

After missing most of the 2003, he had a brilliant run at this year's AO. Then, absolutely no results.. What is happening to him? I mean he lost to Spadea in Miami, who showed nothing against Roddick. Is this lack of confidence? After AO he said he was confident. Certainty lack of fitness is not a factor as well. He always talks about luck and how it is not on his side. I think it is bull and that everyone makes his owned luck. His tiebreak record is really bad this year and he doesn't win any close matches. He seems to be allergic to a good coach and is stuck with his old buddy - Dennis.
Any ideas what he needs to change to achieve his potential?

[Matt H.]

it's not much of a secret....he's a big time streaky/head case player.

[MattNowicki]

Haha. I loved when people said that Safin was going to "get his act together" after the AO...yeah, right. And Moya might just one day beat Andy Roddick...ha! I really hope Safin just hangs it up- something tells me he doesn't wanna be out there anyway.

[pound cat]

The only thing that's separating Safin from Philippousis when he was 24 is about 8 Harley Davidson's. Safin's entourage is a 24 year old coach? a 22 year old girlfriend, and Walt Lander. Sounds like a party about to happen rather than a serious approach to tennis. He won't take advice from anyone and has always said he knows what he's doing except for the odd time he's said he doesn't know what he's doing. Count me in as another person who has no idea what he's doing

[cenzo]

Even when Safin struggles, I love to watch him play. As long as he plays, I'll watch. If he doesn't want to put 100% into tennis all the time, then so be it. It's his career and choice. Nobody has to really understand it. I think we expect too much of people with great talent and want them to perform exceptionally all the time. But we tend to forget that there is much more to a person than just their talent. If they get the chance to share their talents with us, if even for a brief moment, then we are lucky. Safin, like so many great talents of the past and present, have to deal with those elements that make him just like all of us. I like the fact that he is unapologetic about why people don't understand him. But I say a person that doesn't understand Safin is a person that doesn't understand themselves. Everything that people say Safin lacks in his tennis career, we all lack. No one is motivated all the time. No one performs his best all the time. What I think is great about Safin is his honesty about life and who he is. You see it on the court. You hear it in his interviews. To me, he is by far the most interesting to watch. The gift of great talent intertwined with the gift of humanity.

[PureCarlosMoyaDrive]

Like I have said many times, Safin misses a lot of easy balls. Just simple rally balls, approach shots, everything. He just doesn't seem completely focused out there, and completely confident. If he can get that back with more time, he'll still be out there fighting hard. He also needs to get some easier draws (aka not Federer or Roddick first round), so he can go deep again, maybe win a smaller tournament, and get even more confidence.

[nippurr]

Cenzo - Great insight.

[Bertchel Banks]

I loved when people said that Safin was going to "get his act together" after the AO...yeah, right. And Moya might just one day beat Andy Roddick...ha!

Well if Agassi can do it, certainly Moya can. Cause we all know he's twice the talent Andre is. Mwahahahahaha. kekekekekeke-e-e-e

[C_Urala]

Cenzo. I agree.

Maybe, he relies too much on his power. That makes him predictable (ask Santoro). And when ball comes back, he tries to hit even harder and thus loses control ?..

Anyway, you have to improve to keep your present level. I hope he realizes (in both meanings) it too.

[C_Urala]

pound cat:
"The only thing that's separating Safin from Philippousis when he was 24 is about 8 Harley Davidson's. "

I didn't understand. Is it Safin or Philippousis who has 8 bykes?

[edge]

C_, think about it, you can figur it out.

[C_Urala]

If I could I wouldn't ask.

[jmckinney]

I hope he just hangs it up-obviously he is another Philoush!thead. Bad for the game, all power. He doesn't really play tennis, just hit the ball hard and if it comes back, hit it harder. He was just a born loser, no fight, no heart. Tennis does not him.

[pound cat]

Philippousis had a collection of motorcycles during his mid-twenties when his game fell apart for a few years, before he saw the writing on the tennis ball and decided to get serious about the sport again.

[C_Urala]

thanks..

Safin's brilliant run at AO is looking more and more like a fluke.

[pound cat]

Cambridge Dictionary: fluke:something good that has happened that is the result of chance instead of skill or planning: Safin says that you make your own luck. Given that I guess you could call it a fluke.

[alfa164164]

Safin has had some pretty tough draws since the Australian Open.

[jmckinney]

What is a tough draw? Every draw is tough, if Safin was the player he thinks he is, he could beat Federer, Roddick, and co. in the first round as well as the semis. It doesn't matter if he plays them first in the draw or towards the end, he still is going to have to beat those players to win. So I guess you could say Federer has a tough draw because he had to go through Agassi in the semis or Agassi has a tough draw because he plays Federer in the semis. What a load of crap, but a great excuse for Safin for his so-called new dedication this year. He was lucky in the AO. He just needs to bear down or leave tennis so he can just live his party life.

[nyu]

I'm starting to like Jim less and less as I realize that every single one of his posts is an attack on someone's character.