Safin family just too good for Italy
Güncelleme Tarihi:
The Associated Press
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 05, 2009 00:00
PERTH - The brother and sister combination of Marat Safin and Dinara Safina gave Russia an opening win over Italy at the Hopman Cup yesterday.
Safin, who played with facial bruises and scratches from a recent fight in Moscow, had 14 aces on his way to a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over Simone Bolelli in the second singles match. Safina beat Flavia Pennetta 7-5, 6-3 to give Russia a 1-0 lead in the opener.
In mixed doubles, Pennetta and Bolelli beat Safina and Safin 5-7, 6-4 and 10-2.
Safin, who is playing in the Hopman Cup for the fourth time, arrived in Perth on Saturday night with bruises and cuts on his face, including a heavy bruise under his left eye.
After Sunday's match, he first joked in an on-court television interview that the facial injuries came from "working out hard," but then said, without elaborating: "I got in trouble in Moscow. It was much worse."
At a later press conference, Safin admitted getting into a fight about a week ago in the Russian capital.
"It's OK, I can survive," Safin said. "Just some small problem that I wasn't in the right place at the right time. Yes, I won the fight. I'm good, I'm OK."
When Safin arrived Saturday night, he first asked for a tournament doctor.
"I wasn't sure why he was arriving so late, why he was requesting to play a day later, but now I know why," tournament director Paul McNamee said. "I saw him in the lobby and he didn't look good. He said 'I need two things, I need to see a doctor and I need to practice.' So I got the doctor ... and he gave him some treatment and then Safin went and practiced."
The 28-year-old Safin said this will definitely be his last year on the circuit. "I couldn't ask for a better start than that," he said.
In mixed doubles, Pennetta and Bolelli beat Safina and Safin 5-7, 6-4 and 10-2.
Safin, who is playing in the Hopman Cup for the fourth time, arrived in Perth on Saturday night with bruises and cuts on his face, including a heavy bruise under his left eye.
After Sunday's match, he first joked in an on-court television interview that the facial injuries came from "working out hard," but then said, without elaborating: "I got in trouble in Moscow. It was much worse."
At a later press conference, Safin admitted getting into a fight about a week ago in the Russian capital.
"It's OK, I can survive," Safin said. "Just some small problem that I wasn't in the right place at the right time. Yes, I won the fight. I'm good, I'm OK."
When Safin arrived Saturday night, he first asked for a tournament doctor.
"I wasn't sure why he was arriving so late, why he was requesting to play a day later, but now I know why," tournament director Paul McNamee said. "I saw him in the lobby and he didn't look good. He said 'I need two things, I need to see a doctor and I need to practice.' So I got the doctor ... and he gave him some treatment and then Safin went and practiced."
The 28-year-old Safin said this will definitely be his last year on the circuit. "I couldn't ask for a better start than that," he said.