Safin stunned by Ferreira in Champions Series debut in Rio

[DNShade]

Just in case anyone was interested....

Ferreria beats Safin 7-6, 6-4

 

[Fedace]

Safin was loaded with margaritas and russian Vodka prior to the match.....not to mention women....

 

[Elina]

Well done, Wayne!

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

talking about former champions, in zurich there's an edberg-ivanisevic final today !
http://www.atpchampionstour.com/news72.html
damned... i wish i could see that.

 

[Deleted member 21996]

that is because the 90's were such a crappy generation and the goats are all form the 2000's....

\sarcasm

 

[BlakeGOAT]

LoL I thought he might have his problems even on the senior tour. It will probably be difficult for him to take a set off Roddick next month in Atlantic City.

 

[hoodjem]

Maybe Safin thought (being a tournament-tough, freshly retired pro) he'd waltz in and crush those old-timers.?!

 

[jimbo333]

I thought Safin had said he'd had enough of tennis!

Guess he still likes the money though!

 

[vsbabolat]

I thought Safin had said he'd had enough of tennis!

Guess he still likes the money though!

I think he got tired of losing to challenger level players every week. Instead of playing the tennis he played from 2000-2005. Safin had not won a tournament since the 2005 Australian Open.

 

[Moose Malloy]

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, March 12 - Marat Safin was stunned in his debut match on the Champions Series tennis circuit Friday, losing 7-6 (4), 6-4 to Wayne Ferreira in the quarterfinals of the Banco Cruzerio do Sul Rio Champions Cup.

Playing only 17 weeks after playing his last match on the ATP World Tour, Safin said he was out of sorts physically and struggled on the fast indoor courts of the Maracanãzinho Stadium.

“After 20 minutes of play I was dead,” said Safin, who turned 30 years old on January 27. “I felt yesterday after hitting that I had pain in my elbow, in my knee. I had blisters. It is tough not to play for four months and then try to play. I have to get used again to play at least a couple of times a week. This is new for me.”

Ferreira, 38, last played a full season on the ATP World Tour in 2004, but has experienced great success on the Champions Series, winning three titles and reaching two other finals since 2006. In 2009, he finished the Champions Series with a No. 9 ranking. The South African’s win over Safin was his first over the Russian after losing all three previous meetings during their ATP careers.

“I knew it was going to be a tough match,” said Ferreira. “Marat has just left the tour. Marat’s game is based on the physical power and as he is not in a competitive shape. It gave me an edge.”

http://championsseriestennis.com/rio2010/schedule_results.php

Fernando Meligeni def. Mark Philippoussis 6-2 4-6 10-8 (TB) in the final