Marat Safin: End Of a 'Maverick' Era

Marat Safin :: Antics

His antics on the court though not inspiring are his USP and add a certain amount of lightheadedness to the game after all the tensions and anxiety. His berations, his racquet banging and his gestures are just simply 'Marat' and cannot be emulated by anyone.

From rising like a Phoenix from ashes to reach the Semi-Finals of Wimbledon 2008 to going back to a slump, Marat has shocked everyone.

I wouldn't be surprised, if tomorrow he says that he himself was surprised with his Wimbledon performance.

Marat's graph [if there is any such thing like that] would almost be a replica of a sensex. Up, up and then suddenly ground zero! He as a player is par excellence but lets his temper get the better of him.

Even this year, his only other remarkable achievement apart from the Wimbledon Semis are reaching the finals of the Kremlin Cup.

His previous highs include winning the US Open in 2000; being ranked the World No. 1 in 2000; capturing the Australian Open in 2005 and helping Russia win its first Davis Cup in 2002 and then again in 2006.

He is a maverick in his own right and when he is in full flow, he just doesn't bother about anybody or anything and sometimes it gives one a feeling of complete recklessness and foolhardiness.

Although, when he is in form is a tough opponent to clash against [Djokovic found it the hard way] and for a person of his stature covers the court well.

But the thorns in his flesh are inconsistency and injuries which have affected his performance time and again.

If there would have been a comparison of the Marat Safin, ranked World No. 1 in 2000 and the Marat Safin of the present, every tennis connoisseur would be astonished ! What he was and what he should have been, is something that just doesn't corroborate.

Although there are many players from russia, it would be an eternity before Russia finds itself a replica of a gem named Marat Safin. Of course, the others play well, but Marat is Marat !

As he now ponders over his future and his retirement plans after his second round loss in the Paris Masters it feels really weird to think about the games in his absence. He may be inconsistent, he may be erratic; but all through he has made his presence felt as a great sportsman and as an absolute entertainer on the court!

Dasvedaniya Marat!