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Marat Safin: The Tennis Super Power book update
18 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Scoop
My eighth tennis book is almost finished, ‘Marat Safin The Tennis Super Power: Symposium of a Champion.’
It’s astonishing that no book has been written about this fascinating character and super talent, who has been called “the most charismatic, handsome tennis player”, “physically better than Roger Federer”, and having too many gifts and talents to apply all his energies to tennis.
The stories about Safin from players and tennis insiders have exceeded my expectations by far.
Gustavo Kuerten said he actually felt sad for taking the ATP no. 1 ranking away from Safin at the 2000 World Tour Finals in Lisbon. James Blake said Safin called him out of the blue last year to get together for beers in Los Angeles. Fernando Vicente and Julian Alonso both said Safin never changed, he’s the same guy he was as a teenager in Spain to the world wide superstar he became due to his tennis exploits.
I’m working hard on the final composition and soon the pdf files with some nice photos and artwork. The book should be ready later this summer. So stay tuned…
Moskova Moskova · June 15, 2018 at 2:28 pm
scoop, looking fwd to this one and hope you dont use the background color as it’s ukrainian-ish (teal-blue / gold)
title’s abit bland though – didnt take anyone’s suggestions from the site ?
catherine · June 15, 2018 at 3:17 pm
Actually I quite like the colours and the artwork – although Safin does look as though he’s suspended in mid-air 🙂
Maybe that can be changed. Titles are difficult. I’ve thought of one now but as I said before, I don’t know that much about Safin. Was he a kind of genius ? Did he care about anyone but himself ?
Now I’m going a little off topic because the last thread is very long.
There’s a short interview on the WTA website with the psychologist Alex Castorri about the work she’s been doing with Simona Halep. Two things strike me about this – I don’t think it’s appropriate for a psychologist, working in sport or any other field, to talk to the press about their clients. Maybe I’m being a bit particular, but that’s what I believe. There are professional ethics involved and it also looks as if you’re touting for custom. Doesn’t matter if the client agrees. Some of Simona’s weaknesses are made quite apparent – just what her opponents want to hear.
The other thing – apparently Castorri also helped another Grand Slam champion ‘who would prefer not to publicise their relationship’.
Immediately you think ‘who was that ?’ Was it X, Y, Z ? I can imagine several candidates, but whoever it was obviously had a good reason for keeping their contact under wraps. I’m with that.
Duke Carnoustie · June 16, 2018 at 1:03 am
Some Guido Pella craziness:
Friday: loses to Federer in Stuttgart QF
Saturday: faces Kudla in Halle qualifying some four hours away.
Isn’t the ATP tour great?
Duke Carnoustie · June 16, 2018 at 1:10 am
Wow Mac Mac has it worse.
Friday: Loses a 3-set heartbreaker to Jim Chardy in Hertogenbosch.
Saturday: Faces Fratangelo in Queen’s qualifying in London.
I hope he caught that flight. Isn’t the ATP tour great?
Joe Blow · June 16, 2018 at 9:35 am
The administrator of the site is trying to push his new book. Would be nice to stay on topic for a bit.
catherine · June 16, 2018 at 10:26 am
What is the topic Joe ?
Scoop’s book (and he has every right to push it)or something else? Please let us know.
Joe Blow · June 16, 2018 at 10:32 am
Scoops book
Tales of Halep could be added to the last thread. Heaven forbid we miss an update on Halep, Kerber or Muguruza’s mental shortcomings
catherine · June 16, 2018 at 10:44 am
Joe – Scoops’ book won’t be published until the summer so there’s a limit to how much we can say about it. I said my bit. What’s your contribution ?
The previous thread is now very long so it would seem sensible to continue with this one.
Can’t you make any comment which isn’t sarcastic and snide ?
I can’t find any mention of Kerber or Muguruza in the responses to this thread. And my comment wasn’t actually about Halep if you bother to read it.
Joe Blow · June 16, 2018 at 12:42 pm
Boys trying to hype his book..
Nothing but snide and sarcasm..I’ll add” Back in the day” to my repertoire
I had some to add to the topic at the head, but you decided to end the last thread, because Simona did something
catherine · June 16, 2018 at 1:18 pm
I don’t know what you’re talking about. I really don’t.
The way this site works, comments can range over various topics under the same thread and people seem to follow quite well. Duke went off topic, strictly speaking, and I didn’t see you complain. Try to think laterally.
And I made no decision to ‘end the thread’. No one actually does that here.
If you want to add a comment about Scoop’s book – go ahead.
Hartt · June 16, 2018 at 1:57 pm
It was time to have a new thread, the last one was getting way too long to navigate.
I will get my dream final in Stuttgart – Milos vs Fed. I will be rooting for Milos, although Roger is the obvious favourite.
Milos won against Pouille in SS – 6-4, 7-6, in 1 hour and 36 minutes. It was actually a tough match, Lucas played pretty well. But Milos continued to make a lot of aces – 19 in this match, with 2 DFs. I don’t know what has suddenly brought on all these aces, but obviously it makes it very difficult for his opponents.
Hartt · June 16, 2018 at 2:02 pm
Felix Auger-Aliassime managed to pull out a win in his Lyon Challenger SF against fellow youngster, Kecmanovic. Felix had a MTO and I don’t know if a physical problem hampered his play, but his first serve was totally MIA, he had something like 9 DFs, and he had too many UFEs. He was fortunate that Kecmanovic made some big errors at key moments.
Hopefully Felix can play better tomorrow and defend his title. He was just 17-years-old when he won last year.
catherine · June 16, 2018 at 2:26 pm
Hartt – I managed to see a bit of Milos’ match and was really impressed with his serving – seems fluent and confident.
Fed and Kyrgios very tight – I think Milos could have a chance tomorrow. Did you see Murray has drawn Nick in his first match at Queens ? Couldn’t be tougher for Andy.
Osaka lost to Barty in Nottingham but from the little I saw it wasn’t a sparkling match. Ashleigh hardly came to the net and Naomi lost in the back court rallying, although she did try a few net forays. Barty hasn’t progressed the way I thought she would. Maybe losing her doubles partner has effected her in some way.
Scoop Malinowski · June 16, 2018 at 2:40 pm
Chardy is suddenly coming alive after years of so so results.
Scoop Malinowski · June 16, 2018 at 2:45 pm
Catherine, Andy and Nick are very good friends, Nick said Andy took him under his wing when he was first starting, he really likes Andy, it will be a hard match for both. Most don’t know that they are good friends with a lot of respect. Milos really wants to put down Fed after all those hard heartbreaker losses, if he can do it tomorrow, Milos will be a top favorite to win Wimbledon. Big match for Milos. He can make a big statement tomorrow.
Hartt · June 16, 2018 at 6:08 pm
A correction about Felix’s age when he won Lyon last year – he was 16, not 17. It’s hard to remember what a baby he is.
Catherine, yes Milos has a great serving motion. When he was a kid he spent untold hours watching videos of Pete Sampras serving. And his childhood coach, Casey Curtis, did a good job with him as well. Unlike Isner and Karlovic, Milos doesn’t have the trajectory that comes with being super tall, and relies on that motion that doesn’t vary. Opponents say they have a hard time reading his serve, figuring out where he will go. And he has great variety, many different serves to choose from.
I know a lot of people claim he is just a big serve, but I think that is unfair. He has an excellent FH, especially when he goes inside out, and an effective net game, even if his volleys aren’t always things of beauty. And if the Djoko smash can be a disaster, the Milos smash rarely misses, no matter where he is in the court.
Duke Carnoustie · June 16, 2018 at 9:46 pm
A Simona cartoon caused a major firestorm…
http://www.dw.com/en/charlie-hebdo-angers-romanians-with-racist-simona-halep-tennis-cartoon/a-44245833
catherine · June 17, 2018 at 1:59 am
Are gypsies, Roma etc a different ‘race’ ? I don’t know. (yes, considering their ancestors supposedly migrated from the Indian subcontinent). Anyway it wasn’t terribly sensitive or very funny, considering the marginal status Roma people occupy in Roumania and other countries.
In Britain gypsies have traditionally been associated with the horse trade so you can imagine an English equivalent and that wouldn’t be very funny either.