Former champion Marat Safin survived a controversial foot-fault call and an inspired opponent before beating Vince Spadea 3-6 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-4 to reach the second round.
Leading American Vince Spadea two sets to one but trailing 4-5 and 40-40 in the fourth, Safin was foot-faulted on his second serve for apparently having his back foot partly across the centre line at the beginning of his serving motion.
The resultant double-fault gave Spadea set point, which he clinched, but Safin bounced back well in the decider to win 3-6 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-4. Winner of the 2000 US Open, the Russian was in customary belligerent mood when he greeted the media after the match. "It's stupid rules that somebody made in, I don't know, 1850," Safin said.
"Now they give me the problems with these things and it shouldn't be that way." The official rules state that a serve is a fault if a player, at any time in his service motion, touches or goes outside the imaginary extension of the centre mark with either foot. Safin said it was ridiculous for a foot-fault to be called from the other end of the court.
Safin, who next meets 15th-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo, said the rules should be changed. "I think the people in tennis are missing some rules," the Russian added. "It's really, really disappointing in the fourth set because (after) a foot-fault on the second serve, you're facing set point.
Does Safin have any right to say this, he is a very respected player, but he should watch out for not getting some point or even game penalties.
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