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| January 26, 2002 | Saturday | Ziqa’ad 11, 1422 |
Rainstorm comes to Safin’s rescue
MELBOURNE, Jan 25 - A Melbourne rainstorm came to the aid of Marat Safin Friday who then pulled off a remarkable five-set victory over Tommy Haas to reach his first Australian Open final.
Ninth seed Safin, who celebrates his 22nd birthday on finals day, will play Swede Thomas Johansson Sunday after winning 6-7 7-6 3-6 6-0 6-2.
“Thanks God it rained... I had no chance to win if it didn’t rain,” a relieved Safin told a news conference afterwards.
“But when it did I didn’t give him any chance after the break. I totally changed the game. Served better, did everything better.”
The Russian had looked dead on his feet early in the fourth set, trailing 7-6 6-7 6-3 1-0 against the German seventh seed, and he needed treatment for fatigue in the blistering heat.
Then the heavens opened and, as the rain swept across Melbourne Park, Safin raised his arms in celebration, knowing he had been given a lifeline.
When play resumed 45 minutes later, with the stadium roof closed and the air conditioning cranked up, the 2000 U.S. Open champion reeled off 11 of the next 13 games to clinch victory.
“At the end there I was playing perfectly,” he smiled.
The delay was a bitter blow to Haas who was gunning for his first place in a grand slam final.
“There was no excuse, I think. At the end my legs just didn’t want to work,” he said.
“I don’t think the break helped me. When we came back we had to start again and he was on fire so there you go.
“I had been playing a good game, was in a groove but when we came out again everything was different. It just didn’t go my way.”
Nothing could separate the two players in the first two sets as they won a tiebreak each. But Safin was looking weary as early as the third game of the second set.
The volatile Russian exploded at the end of that game which gave Haas a break, hurling his racket into the ground and smashing it to pieces.
Struggling with the heat, the ninth seed called the trainer, saying he was finding it hard to move and had “no reaction” in his legs.
The former world number one took an injury time-out, was given aspirin, vitamin C and had both thighs massaged before returning to the court.
Haas comfortably won the third set 6-3 as Safin continued to wilt. The Russian won his opening service game before rain swept the stadium and play was suspended by referee Peter Bellenger.
Safin returned looking fresh and fit on centre court and quickly took control of the match.
His new composure slipped at 1-1 in the deciding set, however, when he was called for a foot-fault on a second serve to give Haas a break point.
“I cannot believe - I cannot believe,” Safin bellowed at umpire Mike Morrissey.
He asked Morrissey to keep a close eye on his feet while serving, saying: “Please, look close, this it the first time in my life.”
Safin steadied himself and held for 2-1 before grabbing the vital break for 3-1 and stretching into a 4-1 lead. He served for 5-2 and clinched his stunning victory after a demoralised Haas double-faulted.
Results (prefix number denotes seeding):
Women’s doubles, final 8-Martina Hingis (Switzerland)-Anna Kournikova (Russia) beat 13-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia)-Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (Spain) 6-2 6-7 (4-7) 6-1
Mixed doubles, semifinal Gaston Etlis-Paola Suarez (Argentina) beat Michael Hill (Australia)-Caroline Vis (Netherlands) 3-6 6-4 7-6 (9-7)—Reuters
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