Q. Is it something special to come back in Roland Garros? We know that you love Bercy, but you love Roland Garros as well. Is it a special feeling to be back on these courts? >
MARAT SAFIN: I think I'm not the only one who has these special feelings. Also for a lot of players, that they grow up on clay ‑ the Spanish, the Argentinians, the French. For them it's the biggest thing probably of the year.
So for me it is a really big thing.
Q. Have you got mixed feelings about your match today?
MARAT SAFIN: What do you mean?
Q. I mean, are you very happy or very frustrated? Is it difficult?
MARAT SAFIN: No, I'm just really happy that I pass the first round. It's really important for every player. To pass through, it's a tough match. First round is always tough because you have to get used to the courts, to the balls. You are nervous because you want to do well in the tournament. You know that you going to win, but still, you know, you don't want to have a surprise.
It doesn't matter how the way you playing. It's the fact that you passed. And, really, I think I really felt good on the court, even though that I lost the second set. I can't complain. I've been playing quite decent tennis, especially, you know, coming after not so many matches winning on clay. So it was pretty good.
Q. Is the fact that Sluiter has got a two‑handed backhand and two‑handed forehand make the game more difficult?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, we play together actually a few times, you know, even when ‑‑ in satellites. I know him really well, he knows me really well. There is nothing surprising for me in his game. He's pretty solid from both sites, doesn't make any mistakes, he doesn't have any weaknesses, like complete holes. He's a pretty good player, pretty solid. You have to work every single point because he can be dangerous, especially on fast clay.
Q. After the Australian Open, I don't think you reached the quarterfinals of a tournament. Was that a concern coming into this? Can you just put that to the back of your mind because it's Roland Garros?>
MARAT SAFIN: Again?
Q. After you won the Australian Open, you haven't reached the quarterfinals anywhere. Is that a concern?
MARAT SAFIN: It doesn't really matter because when you play in a big tournament, you don't want to really think what you did before, because it's completely different tennis, completely different game. Because it's five‑set matches, it's pretty good courts, compared to ‑ with all respect to other tournaments ‑ they're not in such great shape. So for a lot of players, they're not playing like on the baseline, especially like Henman, Agassi, the guys who are playing, trying to go inside the court, play fast, who are playing flat. It's a little bit complicated.
Especially for me also, I found myself a little bit that it's really difficult to change the game, and try to play a little bit from the baseline, go more a little back. It's not so effective.
Q. You must be very happy the way you closed out the match. Two breaks of serve, 40‑Love, 40‑15 on yours. >
MARAT SAFIN: It was okay. Nothing to complain.
Q. If you look at everywhere but Wimbledon, which is the Grand Slam you think your game is best for? US Open? French Open? Australian Open? >
MARAT SAFIN: You said, except Wimbledon.
Q. All the same pretty much?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. I think if it's not really fast and the bounce really low, I think I can play on all of them. But the Wimbledon's a little bit too fast and too low for me. It's difficult to find my game for it. My game doesn't fit (smiling).
Q. Of all the Roland Garros's, which is the most disappointing for you?
MARAT SAFIN: Actually two years. In 2000, I was playing really good, and unfortunately I run out of gas. I played a lot of matches. Just I was exhausted. I just reached the quarterfinals. I lost to Magnus Norman, who was playing quite great tennis.
And I think the year that I missed ‑‑ that I made the semifinal against Ferrero, I think it was really big disappointment in my career because the way I played. I reached the semifinals, I was playing well. For some reason, I just ‑‑ I almost give up the semifinal. I should have stayed there. I should have try something different, but I couldn't. I couldn't find the weapons.
Q. Is your knee okay? Physically you're fine now?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah. A little bit ‑‑ my knee a little bit hurts sometimes, you know, if I spend a lot of time on the court. After a while, it's starting to bother me. But I have a doctor, he's taking care of me. Hopefully I will survive until the second week.
Q. Last year you had a difficult match against Starace, then the blisters with Nalbandian. How frustrating was that last year?
MARAT SAFIN: Of course, it's sad. Basically almost retired, you know. Against Nalbandian, after the first set, I really realized I have no ‑‑ I don't really have a chance, even though if I will win that match, the other match, I will not be able to play even. It was really hurting me. And the way I played, I was not so happy with my game. I don't think I would have done anything special last year.
Q. You said before you did not know why the blisters came on your hands last year. Now that you're back here, you don't think back and try to figure out some reason? >
MARAT SAFIN: I'm really scared about it actually. I'm really scared because I don't know what happened, and it can come out any moment. Just have to really be careful with that because I really want to do well here. And I have no idea why they came out.
Q. Do you think there's more chance it could happen again here?
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