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From: breakingthehabit21
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  • to all the speculators, not everyone can win 6-10 slams in their career. Prime years last 3-5, and during that time there are 12-20 majors. History shows that generally the French is won by a different type of player, and that Wimbledon is usually dominated by the best player of the current crop.

    Even if Safin had been healthy and fit during his career he would not have dominated clay or grass (he hates grass), nor would he have obviously beaten the others of his generation when it mattered.

  • @thegreatNEb

    Yeah because Safin never beat Sampras, Agassi, Guga, A-rod, Hewitt, Djokovic, Ferrero in slams did he?

  • @Th3BlackReaper

    What I mean is; it wouldn't have been a certainty for him to beat all the right players when is mattered most. He would probably have had more slams, but not the double digits people are speculating. Federer would have come out on top most of the time I think, and he would have gotten frustrated with Nadal.

  • @thegreatNEb

    Safin would be a horrible matchup for Nadal on hard courts. Winning virtually all of them and indoor/carpet. Clay Safin could trouble Nadal. Grass courts Nadal but Safin on the slower grass would be interesting. With Safin nothing is impossible.

  • @Th3BlackReaper he was 2-0 down to rafa on hard courts i'm not sure why it would be a horrible matchup for rafa, maybe as safin's strongest shot was the backhand down the line, but he deffo wouldnt win all of them. Safin would never trouble rafa on clay that is ludicrous and as the greatneb said safin hated grass and just had one good tournament at wimby but apart from that i dont know what you are on about with no facts to back this up

  • @TennisCoachno1

    Yeah because Safin was a beast in 2007 & 2009, those two matches prove nothing, Safin would have lost to many players in those matches. Gulbis, Soderling, Isner can trouble Nadal on clay, Safin hits just as hard, on the rise and moves better than all of those guys (well, peak for peak). You can't even talk properly.

  • @Th3BlackReaper how on earth was safin a beast in 2007 and 2009? he ended those year's respectively with a year end ranking 56 and 61. In 07 the furthest he reached in a slam was the 3rd round at at the masters he didnt make it past the 2nd! In 2008 he made his best ever showing at wimbledon reaching the semi's. Statistically 09 was safin's worst year ever with a 18-22 record.

  • @Th3BlackReaper Ok so when rafa is either injured (soderling 09 played the match of his life) or playing woefully (gulbis, rome 2010 and isner at the french was the worst performance i had ever seen from rafa there) yet he still won the last two. So you disregard stats over your deluded opinion. Rafa would most likely outmaneuver Safin on most surfaces and probably would have a healthy head to head record. Are you the grammar police? You don't know much about tennis!

  • @TennisCoachno1

    Yeah fine. Safin sucks. Safin would get dominated by Nadal, just he got dominated by everyone else. (sarcasm by the way)

    Am I the grammar police? No. But Your spelling does match that of a retard. I know more things than you, Mr coach!

  • @Th3BlackReaper I have given you the facts yet you choose to ignore them without backing up your argument without any credence, instead you choose to insult me and you really don't know much about tennis at all Mr grim reaper :P

  • If I could borrow someones good looks, Safin is on top of the list

  • Safin had the most powerful two handed backhand I have ever seen.

  • safin could have a been a proper rival for federer, it's shame he was a bit of a headcase

  • notice how you have 2 play out of ur skin to beaat federer-this vedio shows how good federer is not safin-federers so fuckin good you have ALWAYS go 5 to beat him. between 2004-2009 he only eva lost one non clay grand slam without going 2 5 which was ausopen 08. dont beleive me check it out. Excluding clay he lost this in 5 wimbdon 08 in 5 aus 2010 in 5 us 2010 in 5

  • @djstony1 Safin beat Federed at his BEST. IN A FINAL. I don't care how much he "played out of his skin", at the end of the day Safin beat Federer. That shows what skill Safin has, he just doesn't use it nearly enough in other grand slams.

  • @killa4eva50 semi final u mean i think!!!!!

  • @killa4eva50 Agreed. Call it like it is: The big man was mentally fragile and stubborn. Safin had everything going for him: huge serve, powerful groundies, solid movement and net skills. He was supposed to be the man to consistently challenge Roger for the slams, not Rafa. If this Marat showed up, Roger would have had a very tough time. I always thought Marat would win a lot more GS, after his US Open win. This man should have ended up with 6-8 majors, easy.

  • @sarasmilepiano Safin was also injured A LOT. I don't know exactly how many slams he could have won, but just taking away all the injuries he had, probably another 2-4, add a couple more when he was mentally fragile (2001-2002), and it gets him to what you suggested 6-8 majors. It wouldn't have been a stretch for him to have won double digits had he played healthy to 31-32 years of age. Obviously hindsight is 20/20, and there are a lot of 'what ifs.' but Safin was capable of a lot.

  • @davd1986 If Marat had Rafa's mindset, double digits in majors would have been within his reach. Of course, we can all speculate, but I think this is an accurate assessment. Marat's prime years would have roughly been between 2003- 2006- about the time Roger began to dominate- and the big Russian did little during those years (made one other Australian Open final). In a way, Safin's missed opportunties helped set the stage for Roger's record setting GS runs.

  • that final backhand absolutly fucks Federer's hand ;)

  • But really. Federer should've won this match. He struggled with his game a lot in that match while Safin just had a great day. Congrats to him.

  • Its too bad that Safin never found a way to completely harness all that talent that he had. There would have been plenty of other matches just like this one.

  • this is the only match I can think of that Federer lost in his prime on hard courts, a huge win for Safin

  • aww, look at roger in that epic last point. he falls, looks up and for a splight second thinks of getting up, just to realize it's too late and he slumps his head down in defeat. I've spamed this on other videos too but: this was the absolute best match I've ever seen. When Marat played his best tennis, he was the best player in the world.

  • @Minkki82 `2nd beat!as much as i like safin in fact my second fav ever fed should of won this in 4sets wen he missed those match points

  • @mikechelsea101 dude he missed one match point and Marat played that point superbly well, check it out :)

  • Did Fed serve 155 mph at 0-30 down on a second serve (check out 1:28, in the background)? Or was that km/h?

  • @TheAnonymousViewer Its KHM

  • @danlfc1983 Ahahaha damn. Thanks for the info.

  • @TheAnonymousViewer km/h. aussie open uses km/hr

  • I always laugh when I see federer hug safin, Fed is over 6 feet tall, and safin still makes him look small :) For me this, I think, is the highest quality match i have ever seen. Obviously its just opinion to go with other matches live agassi blake 05 fed nadal rome 06, agassi bagdatis, agassi sapras 01, nadal verdasco, they are just a few. It gets on my nerves when people say wimbledon 08 is the best final ever....it defo is not, when compared to matches like these in term of the tennis played

  • Great game by Safin!

  • One of the best played matches ever.

  • The only man to ever bring Federer TO HIS KNEES.

    AND to be cool enough to not let some rediculous yell or something.Just a shrug of the shoulders and a warm handshake.

    So fucking cool.

  • around the world and continues preguntadose wonder would have happened if it had been more regular safin federer .... would have been invincible? grandisimo ... just divine safin safin federer could win before Nadal began 'to play well ... .

  • This was THE best moment in the modern tennis era.Not just because of the-unsurpassed-quality of the tennis,but also because of the personalities involved,the timing,the significance it had in Safin's carreer and for me personally,the standard it set in how great champions,great men,treat each other in win or defeat.A great moment in sport.

  • Greatest match of the last decade. 2008 Wimby final was more significant but the level of play was undoubtedly better in this one.

  • Arguably the best match of 2005, and in terms of sheer brilliance of the shot making, right up there with the best matches EVER! I have watched four different channel versions of this match (one was in German) and every commentator seemed awe struck and dumbfounded at the quality of every stroke it seems like. If this match doesn't give some of those Safin-haters enough proof of how big a genious shot maker he was on court, I don't know what match will (excluding the 2000 US open final).

  • @davd1986 arguable one of the best matches ever!

  • ..."safin has turned the tennis world upside down" not only with this match but also with his career....great personality going to miss him

  • safin forgot to handshake the umpire !!

  • Federer is absolutely amazing for being a skinny guy.

    Marat will always be remembered for this match and the US Open final against Sampras.

  • Safin had one of the greatest backhands in the world. I love how he just steps into it and crushes it all the time. So crisp and clean.

  • Greatest Tennis Semi-Final Ever!! Hands Down!! Love SAFIN!! I cried, I was so happy!!!! Just Unforgettable!!!!

  • people forget how freaking good marat safin was

  • Too bad Safin somehow didn't manage to win more slams than two. I still think, if he's in good form, he can beat everyone!

  • owned!

  • Greatest match I've ever seen. I have never seen people hit the ball harder than those two that day. This is the only time I ever remember Fed playing damn well, and still losing.

    Also, seeing someone in white outside of Wimbledon has a weird look to it.

  • Always moaning... lol

    Safin diserved it. Congratulations ;-)

  • This was the best match I had ever seen...then I saw the Wimbledon Final '08.

  • This match was better than the 2008 Wimbledon final... the only match that has been better than this one in the last years, it´s the 2006 Rome Masters final, which pitted Rafael and Roger...

  • i think this was a way higher quality match. pure talent on both ends both players playing near full potential.

  • What's up with roger losing 9-7 in the 5th set

    man if he won this match he would of had 14 slams

    still the greatest of all time is fed

  • Yeah, if he´d won this match, he´d have 15 grand slams...

  • if he had won this match he'd have 16 grand slams....

  • Yeah, but what can we do?

  • If he'd won this match he'd have 17 Slams...

  • 4 months later,remind me to say "If he'd won this match,he'd have 18 slams."

  • Here's hoping that's exacty what I'll do.

  • Its bad Aus Open and US Open should remain true to the quickness of the hard court

  • Could anybody shed some light on why australian open seems slower these days. I think the turf is not as fast as it used to be.

  • its the new stuff. it grips the ball more and slows it down

  • Since 2008, the Australian Open is played in a new kind of hard courts known as ´´Plexicushion´´, which is a little bit slower than the previous kind of hard courts used at the Australian Open before 2008, which were known as ´´Rebound ace´´...

  • whats worse is that the us open and aus are faster courts than wimbledon.

  • Nadal isnt anywhere near as talented as Marat. If you believe he is then you are very mistaken and really don't know much about the game.

  • Nadal is WAY more talented than Marat. If you DON`T BELIEVE he is, then you`re an idiot...

  • you are a pure idiot.

  • YOU`RE the pure idiot...

  • douche

  • Estoy de acuerdo, Nadal no es más talentoso que Safin, pero si mucho más consistente y eso lo hace imbatible (mientras su cuerpo aguante)

  • HAHAHHA safin's da man!!! didnt shake the umpire's hand afta he won..LOL

  • The best and most shocking tennis match i have ever seen in my whole life. I saw it live at 7 AM in my city in the mourning to see these two monsters of tennis shooting each other.

  • agree with al you dudes, but what's happening to these guys now, lost any mental toughness?Look at Roger's final this year vs Rafa, sort of collapsed in the 5th set! Get some mental training and be back soon

  • Great match, and there's clearly a great friendship between the two. Too bad the sound is only in the left channel and it's BLOODY DISTRACTING!

  • Probably one of the best matches I have ever seen.

  • A fantastic match. What stands out to me is how much faster the surface at the AO was before the switch in 2008, which, ironically enough, was supposed to make it faster!

    It seems as if they're playing on clay now; compare this match to Rafa-Fed 2009 and you'll see what I mean.

  • these two guys were smacking the absolute fuck out of the tennis balls in this match.

    safin's backhand down the line during his winning match point was fucking thunderous.

    both players deserve props for giving us this classic tennis match, and well done to safin for winning it, as well as the 05 open.

    this was officially voted as the best tennis match of 2005.

    matches like these are what makes me love tennis.

  • @TomatoBasil23 best tennis match of 2005? This was the best tennis match . PERIOD :)

  • Sadly, he said he will.

  • Greatest match in tennis history.

  • I never saw my family stood still on a tennis match like this. Usually it's just me that watches tennis, but since the 4th set, we were 6 persons watching the match till the end. Probably the best match I ever watched. Safin playing like this is my idol!

  • I guess now the media consensus is that Wimb 2008 final was the greatest, but I disagree. Here Fed was at the height of his powers, and he played damn good, but still lost the match. This was the highest quality match i have ever seen.

  • Hey by the way guys .. Safin looks a lot like the lead actor from the movie 300...doesn't he?

  • Well... This is one match that is almost as if to say Federer was destined to loose... he threw everything at Safin but Safin came out victorious.. but it is not a shame to loose a match like this Fedex...

  • This is my favorite match i ever watched

  • than that, than federer, learn english for fucks sake.

  • i remember watching this on tv, gr8 match!!!

  • as a fan this loss is painful to look at, as i can see roger falling down his knees helpless as safin smacks that forehand ftw

  • The funny thing about this is that looking at how Federer played that game, I'd say he was better then than now.. yet Federer still won the 08 US Open. His backhands seems consistent here.. now they're terrible :(

  • you have to realize, this is probably the highest quality tennis of the new millenium, people would argue that wimby of this year was but i disagree, federer was clearly not at the top of his game, here both players were playing at the top of there game and it was an amazing match

  • If safin is in this "crazy mode", no one can beat him, not even samprass, agassi, federer or nadal. the problem is, it is hard for him to be in this mode.

  • l o l, check out all the mighty internet warriors brandishing thier tools of destruction. truly you are all an inspiration.

    fight on

  • I am going to agree with that. i dont know whats the point. like its going to make any difference in real life. I mean. Let the experts decide who is fucking good or not. I am tired of these people arguing over who is the greatest and who aint. Just watch and enjoy the tennis.

    These tennis players, whom they are fighting over, have made something out of their time and life, its about time these fanatics do so as well.

  • you mean understated human being..

  • yea.. sorry my bad

  • u're probably right.. federer is too meek to be called 'giant'. the commentators should have instead said 'safin slayed the prince'

  • i think fans, for some reason tend to worship federer and elevate him above something more than he really is. they forgot the he's still human. he's not an overrated player, he's an underrated human being. nevertheless.. i simply love his game

  • For that very reason that he lost in Wimledon on his "stomping ground", he will become stronger mentally, cause he realize that he is not unbeatable on grass too, and he should learn a lesson from his mistakes. But maybe you are right, and the W-Loss crashes him, but I don't think that he can't step over, and get back his reign. But anyway he's still the best for me.

  • I guess if Roger Federer would have won this match, he might wouldn't be a No.1 as long as he is. I think this match strenghtened him better mentally. And I hope that the wimbledon loss against Nadal will strenghtens him again, cause now he's lack of selfconfidence.

  • The Wimbledon loss absolutely killed Fed. I mean, Wimbledon was Roger's stomping grounds and Nadal came out and claimed it.

    You have to give Rafa credit. So physically and mentally strong...

    Lucky for Fed, he's had great success at the US Open, and I'm hoping he wins it again. He needs it sooooo bad...

  • the operative word is WHEN, you cunt

  • heh i remember watching this live around 4 in the morning.

    excellent match!

  • It's weird seeing Peter Lundgren happy that Roger lost. Yeah, I know he was coaching Marat but still...it's just strange to watch.

  • Talkin' bout great matches in the last 10 years that I've watched live...I'd add Agassi vs Sampras at the AOpen (the 1 with the awesome tiebreak) or Kuerten vs Norman @ the Roland Garros final long time ago...

  • lol he didnt shake hands with the umpire

  • Look at all those golden chains on Safin. He's a pimp.

  • if safin hadnt got injured in 05 he would have seriously challenged federer for no1

  • Well no doubt the knee injury has fucked him over, but I don't know about challenging for number 1. Maybe, who knows.

  • this THIS is the greatest match in the past ten years. Not Federer/nadal wimbledon 2008

  • Marat Safin is the handsomest, sexiest tennis hunk out there at the moment. Rafael Nadal a close second.

  • very true, I'm a guy and not scared to admit how good looking he is

  • Good for you. I am a guy, too, and gay and proud of it. Nice to see a straight man so secure in his own masculinity.

  • me too, totally straight, but hey.... id like to be 6'4 and be as good looking as marat safin... life would be a bit easier :D

  • u shittin me? nadal is a rat face

  • Rat face to one, sexy hunk to another. Beauty is an art, not science. Consensus are for politics. Grow up!

  • fucking headcase

  • notice at the end he doesnt shake the umpires hands.. hes so thrilled he forgot

  • made federer look like an old man

  • Hey, marat ignored the judge.. It is really pleasant watching him playing all through the years.

  • oh cmon guys!!!!!

    i mean this is what im talkin' about!!! what a great 'supermatch'! the equality between safin and federer is what it makes it so nailbiting. And this match probably had one of the best endings ever, where federer returns an impossible shot (from safin), falling to his kness, kind of symbolizing that safin is more powerful than federer. I mean, what more do you want from such a great supermatch???......absolutely fab! this is 1st class tennis at its best.

  • that was amazing

  • Marat Safin is a greatest plaeyer ever!

  • hence, the two times he has played well, numbnuts, he's a mere shadow of his former self

  • thats the stupidest thing ever.Safin won the US Open by defeating Sampras. anyone who can win a Grand Slam is a great player.

  • unless you're andy roddick

  • i will never understand how roddick won slam. never

  • you are a total fool,. when safin plays his best, he will make ANY top 10 tennis player his bitch, when marat safin is at his best, hed run through nadal, federer and whoever else you want to throw at him.... safins problem is consistency.... if he was consistent, the federer reign may never ever had happened (and i love roger federer)

  • MATCH OF THE DECADE!!!!!!! Safin at his best, I want this Safin back in business, to show what he can do!

  • Why couldn't Marat get the mental game down and play like this always. He's easily the most talented player not name Federer to play at that time. This match was brilliant. It really was the last time that Federer played well and lost.

  • wow this has got to be the sweetest finish ever. safin brought federer to his knees, like he's safin's bitch, and then hit the winner, and thats in the one of the best matches ever

  • LOL no offence fed but thats so true and funny

    that was a massive backhand DTL on match point

  • Everyone was rooting for Safin man,

    Fuck Federer LOL

    Marat is GOD

  • yea simply a match i can never 4get still feelin stressed whenever i watch the final points God bless u safin

  • How many necklaces is Safin wearing? The guy is unreal when he's on. When he plays like he did at the 2000 U.S. Open or at this tournament there's not a lot of guys in the Open era who could've stop him.

    When he's on, he had amazing brute power combined with precision and good court movement for a big guy. Unbeatable.

  • it's amazing to see how far federer has come since this match.

  • probably best match ever...

  • just think.....what if safin hit that last point into the net....

  • This video shows us that Safin's potentially is the best tennis player in the world of all the times but his character and other "out-of-sport" things didn't allow him to win much more tournaments then he did

  • Well the biggest problem is injury, people forget this. Approximately he has been pro for 10 years and has spent several injured.

    Injuries ruin careers.

    Look at Kuerten, Norman, Philipoussis.

    Now he has chronic tendonitis in his right knee and is on pain killers before each match.

    He shouldnt have played Wimbledon 0'5.

  • marat is the better tennis man of all the times.

  • a classic battle worthy of Greek legends! but why didn't Safin handshake the umpire?

  • In Holland we have a typical name for you: "Breezah".

  • Safin is FINE ASS! Any guy out here trying to say anything to the contrary is just a jealous loser!

    P.S. Even if you're good looking, being jealous makes you a loser anyway!

    Safin is tall, nicely built and GORGEOUS! And did I forget to mention GORGEOUS??

    His sister....well, now that IS another story altogether! Can't see how they came from the same gene pool at all!

  • Sick (:

  • lol why didn't safin shake the umpire's hand at the end??? did he make a really bad call or something???

  • Their was a bad call in the match, but I am not sure, he might have just forgot.

  • WHAT A MATCH!!

  • This was the most unvelievable match ive ever seen. Safin winning was like a dream come true.

  • This is the game that made me fall hopelessly in love with tennis and Marat Safin, sexy, sexy wonderful man.

  • hahahah you think safin is sexy. hahahahahah he has a head the size of the moon. and his sister is ugly too

  • Well, as you will notice when you grow older, I hope or I feel bad for you, sexiness isn't always in the way that someone looks. It might be in the way he moves, the fact the he is tall, that he is funny, the way his hair curles. Plus sexiness is in the eye of the beholder, I have a head the size of the moon as well...

  • well i don't. i am mixed with black and white and my eyes are light brown. i am very sexy, i am also tall at 6foot 4inches tall. also my smile is perfect, and my teeth are always white.

  • Someone who sees himself as sexy is someone that I wouldn't find attractive, sorry! I'm sure your goodlooking, but it takes something else to be sexy!

  • Good for you. Just be safe! I don't know if your trying to impress med or.., cause I don't really care. I'm 26, I know what is important in life, I know what I like and I won't make exuses for it. I your living the life you want, then I am happy gor you, but someone who brags I can only see as unsecure.

  • Dude, I am free on Wednesday.

  • federer wasn t injured he lost coz in that game safin was the best man fed had luck to play 5 sets.

  • SAFIN=MADMAN

  • federer played bad and was inured, theyre not even close. es

  • Your so full of shit making excuses for your boyfriend.

  • omniexistus (interesting nick, btw), whom are you talking to?

  • if you see to the image in the last point. Federer walks slow until Safin but during the walk the phrase that the image say is: "Safin today I lose for you but you have to traine much more to take my game level"

  • we can only make suppositions about what federer (or safin, or anybody else) thinks; I actually think federer appreciates safin: look at the way the 2 end their encounters: it is always more than a simple and formal hand shake. then the problem with safin is not that he cannot get to a high game level, but that he cannot stay there :)

  • this was supposed to be a reply to edrisan

  • this was supposed to be a reply for edrisan

  • This was the first time I really saw a whole match with Safin in it and it was unbelievable. One of best games I have ever seen. If only Safin can be more consistent.

  • can you put the whole match please

  • i'll try. i hope i still have it.