Q. Were you happy with that match?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, pretty much. Conditions were much better than yesterday, so it was easier to play tennis.

Q. What do you feel is the difference between your play in the first set compared the second and third when you won more easily?
MARAT SAFIN: Because the first set, everybody's a little bit nervous. They need to get used to the game of the opponent, especially we never played against each other. So it takes a little bit longer time to get used to the game of the opponent.

Q. You're likely to have a match against Roger Federer if results go as expected. Fond memories of playing him obviously here.
MARAT SAFIN: Well, yeah. But first of all, he has to win today. He has a tough match. Let's see how he's gonna handle it.
I'm looking forward. I have nothing to worry about. I'm going to play my match. We know each other pretty well. He knows how to play against me; I know how to play against him.
Unfortunately I didn't win a lot of matches against him, but I'm looking forward. It's another chance. I have nothing to lose. I'm going to go for it. Whatever comes, comes.


Q. You feel at the top of your game?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, I had my best years a few years ago before I got injured. But much easier to play without any pressure. So I can say that I'm playing much better than last year, that's for sure. Serving much better. Much more comfortable on the court, back of the court. The serve gives me a lot of advantage, so it's a little bit easier.

Q. 2005, the semifinal when you beat Roger, can you talk us through that a little bit. Was that one of the best wins of your career?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, probably. Probably gave me the opportunity to win the second Grand Slam. I had to go through a lot in this match. I was lucky that he got a little bit scared probably in the fifth set and he didn't go for a lot of shots that he should have gone.
I was serving well, which save my game, save my fifth set, because there was a lot of opportunities, Love‑15, 15‑30. I was serving well, so it gave me the confidence to move on.
Actually, every time I play against him, I have very close matches against him a couple of times. So I was very close, but never could make it. And also the fifth set, I decided that it was the chance for me to win that match. Just had to be strong and go for it.
Like I said, he didn't go for the shot that he should have gone, and he was much closer to win that fifth set than me. But I guess I was more aggressive than him.

Q. You pulled out of Kooyong. What was the injury? What is the state of it now?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, I got a little bit stiff neck in the match against Hrbaty. I couldn't really serve well days afterwards. I decided to just pull out just to take care of it.
Now it's much better. Had to take a few tablets. But now I'm serving better, feeling much better. I'm working on it every day.

Q. Did the doctor advise you not to play?
MARAT SAFIN: No. They just said it's better not to play for a couple of days, just to take care of it, especially coming to Australian Open. Just have a rest, get better, you know, so you'll be healthy, a hundred percent fit for the tournament.

Q. You and your sister both had matches. Will you attend her match if you have spare time?
MARAT SAFIN: No, I think there's enough people to worry about her career. She doesn't need me there. She knows what to do. She's a grown‑up. She's a professional. She's doing her job. She's doing quite well.
Even though she has a little bit of pressure, I guess, but she's doing very well.

Q. Talking about you and Federer, do you think a lot of things have changed compared to your last encounter in the Australian Open?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, his life also changed. Didn't went too bad. He won a couple of Grand Slams afterwards. And me, I got injured. I had to recover from the injuries, so we went in different ways. He got much more confident throughout the years, and I had to recover from injury. So I want to be in his shoes.
But, anyway, it's our lives, part of our lives.

Q. At that time you were one of the favorites here. Now it's much more lower key. What are some of the big differences?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, because there's a lot of new players coming in. Djokovic is playing great tennis. Murray is playing incredibly well.

Q. For you personally, just the experience of being here as a big name versus maybe not one of the favorites.
MARAT SAFIN: But it's okay, I don't mind. Like I said, it's much more players. They are much younger, more hungry. Probably they have much more confidence than me, which is normal. I'm 28, 29 going to be soon. They got 20 years old, making finals left and right on the tournament.
So it's a little bit tougher to compete against them because they're just full of confidence and they're hungry. Like I said, they're going for it. They're not scared.
So it's very difficult to compete against them.


(via AO Tennis Championship, photo/Dita Alangkara)

Marat Safin - Australian Open 21. January Interview