Safin misses Masters Cup?

[ClayCourter]

He decided yet?

Safin to miss Masters Cup

Australian Open champion Marat Safin has not fully recovered from a knee injury and will miss next month's Masters Cup in Shanghai. Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev said on Saturday that Safin would rest for the remainder of the year in order to be fit for next season.

"This is the best thing for him to do, not to play," Tarpishchev told Reuters.

"He must first get 100 percent healthy before stepping on the court again. The most important thing is to prepare well for the Australian Open, where he must defend his title."

The world number five has been troubled by a ligament tear in his left knee since Wimbledon which also forced him to withdraw from the U.S. Open.

He has not played since losing in the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Masters Series to American Robby Ginepri in August.

The Australian Open begins on Jan. 16.

Safin's participation in the Hopman Cup, to be played in Australia from Dec. 30 to Jan. 6., is also in doubt.

He is due to partner Svetlana Kuznetsova for Russia in the annual mixed team event.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

would be useful to indicate the link

 

[MattQiu]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/4388200.stm

 

[ballstriker]

I was hoping a quick recovery in order to possibly see a Safin/Federer re-match, but I'm just being selfish. I'm glad to see Safin play it smart, and hopefully this downtime has got him thinking about the mental state of his game.

btw, on a sidenote, pity to see all these top players hit with the injury bug.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

he's now out for 5 months or what?

if alternative healing or rest haven't solved the problem by now, only surgery would, IMO. he must face the reality.

 

[ballstriker]

he's now out for 5 months or what?

if alternative healing or rest haven't solved the problem by now, only surgery would, IMO. he must face the reality.

Why does Safin not want to get surgery?

 

[Return_Ace]

What is preventing Safin from getting surgery?

i think he's already had it, i thought i heard it on the board somewhere.......

 

[Marius_Hancu]

i think he's already had it, i thought i heard it on the board somewhere.......

well, he announced it during the summer, than said it was just a different treatment

he's afraid of surgery, and many would, it's not easy to face the unknown, imagine a graft from another part of your body, how would that attach and behave (if he has ligament tear)

but there might not be better solutions ...

 

[Da One]

That's Big If He's Not Gonna Play Because It's Gonna Open Up A Pot For Someone

 

[pound cat]

Why does Safin not want to get surgery?

Believe it or not he's afraid of needles...and flying A few weeks ago his sister said he might not play anymore this year.

He could look at Baghdatis as an example of where surgery really worked (shoulder, described in Basel thread)

 

[DariusRaiden]

This is a shame. Let's be honest......with the fast surface that they've prepared at the Masters Cup, who is going to challenge Federer? Nobody in the top 8 has enough game, period. Ljubicic has given Roger trouble, but him even qualifying is in doubt.

Nadal would certainly be a factor if 100% healthy on a slower court...........except its a fast court and he's not 100%. So cross him out. Also count out Roddick. Federer has every solution for his 1-dimensional game, so unless Roddick can juice the serve up to about 175mph, return like Agassi and volley like Sampras, he's gonna get toasted.

Hewitt or Agassi pose the most trouble, as both of them seemed to really bother Federer at the USO. Hewitt just doesn't have enough power........if only he hit a bit bigger, he could really unsettle Federer. Agassi has the baseline power to go toe to toe with Federer, but Federer is superior in every other way. He can beat Agassi with the rest of the court.

Bottom Line: Someone needs to really want this title and play like an immortal to touch Federer. Too bad there is no variety in this field....all baseline bashers, and Federer is better from all of them from back there. Does anyone think maybe Rafter or Sampras could fill in that spot left open by Safin? Maybe they could get a wild card last minute. (JOKING, I know the rules for qualification!)

 

[156MPHserve]

Sigh... I'm going to be SO dissapointed if Safin doesn't play the Masters Cup. Wasn't he playing just before the USO? I mean a lost to Ginepri who's been in incredible form this summer isn't really that bad a loss... he could go out there again right now, can't he?

 

[DashaandSafin]

This is a shame. Let's be honest......with the fast surface that they've prepared at the Masters Cup, who is going to challenge Federer? Nobody in the top 8 has enough game, period. Ljubicic has given Roger trouble, but him even qualifying is in doubt.

Nadal would certainly be a factor if 100% healthy on a slower court...........except its a fast court and he's not 100%. So cross him out. Also count out Roddick. Federer has every solution for his 1-dimensional game, so unless Roddick can juice the serve up to about 175mph, return like Agassi and volley like Sampras, he's gonna get toasted.

Hewitt or Agassi pose the most trouble, as both of them seemed to really bother Federer at the USO. Hewitt just doesn't have enough power........if only he hit a bit bigger, he could really unsettle Federer. Agassi has the baseline power to go toe to toe with Federer, but Federer is superior in every other way. He can beat Agassi with the rest of the court.

Bottom Line: Someone needs to really want this title and play like an immortal to touch Federer. Too bad there is no variety in this field....all baseline bashers, and Federer is better from all of them from back there. Does anyone think maybe Rafter or Sampras could fill in that spot left open by Safin? Maybe they could get a wild card last minute. (JOKING, I know the rules for qualification!)

Uh...Roger might not even play...hes injured remeber?
*sigh* stupid injuries..
awww Safin is afraid of needles and flying??
im afraid of needles...damn doctors just stick em in you. As for flying..im used to it by now and so should Safin.

 

[arosen]

This whole injury thing sucks major a-ss. Russian papers are saying Safin is out of Shanghai, and what if Federer can't play either? His website is mum on his progress, so are his agents, and that cannot be good. I mean, sure Nadal would be happy to walk away with that huge purse without having to beat Safin or Fed, but for us fans its doom and gloom all the way.

 

[DariusRaiden]

Yeah, except Nadal probably wouldn't win it if Federer and Safin don't show. Ljubicic or Roddick on a faster court.........how boring would that result be? Without Federer and Safin, it's basically Roddick and Agassi against a bunch of clay court players. Hmph.......I'd like to see Andre take it home if Safin and Federer don't show, but I'd put my money on Roddick, and I don't like Roddick.

 

[hoosierbr]

Sportsline.com carried this tonight. As I suspected, Hewitt is probably going to skip. With Safin and Hewitt out that helps the struggling Davydenko and opens the door for Ljubicic and Nalbandian. Although Fernando Gonzalez and Thomas Johansson aren't far behind and are both playing in finals tomorrow.

http://www.sportsline.com/tennis/story/9011989

 

[pound cat]

Nadal's knees may give out on him as well. MC should be re-named "The Lucky Loser's Cup" It's too bad, and must be a great disappointment to the Chinese who were sure they would have the world's best there.