Safin quits tennis career, eyes politics

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MOSCOW, October 23 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia's Marat Safin, 29, quit his
professional 12-year tennis career on Thursday after losing in the Kremlin
Cup to Yevgeny Korolev 4:6, 6:7 and said he might follow suit of other
famous retired athletes and switch to sport-related politics.
"If Russia needs me, I am its disposal," Safin said after the match,
adding "support of other people is necessary" to find a place in politics.
Such outstanding athletes as ice hockey star Vladislav Tretyak,
gymnast Svetlana Khorkina, speed skater Svetlana Zhurova, and legendary
figure skater Irina Rodnina are State Duma members. Ice hockey star
Vyacheslav Fetisov was Russian sport minister.
The former World No. 1 Russian ATP tennis player said he would remain
in the sport anyway. "Where else can I go? I am keen in that, I
understand the psychology of players, I know what they need. Problems are
common in sport and I am well aware of them," he said.
"I am an ambitious man and I want to be useful. I am not going to do
something for the sake of money, as I am okay with it and I am not
selfish. The main thing is to bring result," he added.
As for the final match in his career, Safin said "it did not go today.
Korolev played excellently and very successfully. He made no mistakes. He
has all chances to qualify for the finals in the tournament and even win
it if he continues to play like that."
A day earlier Safin knocked out Nikolay Davydenko from the Cup 4-6,
6-4, 6-2 and thanked the number six in the world "for letting me win".
On his professional tennis career Safin said the most important was
his victory at the Australia Open in 2005. He said it was "a difficult
win", while the victory at the US Open in 2000 "came all by itself".
"My two Grand Slam victories happened at various stages of my career,
which cannot be compared, as the second half of what I have achieved is
more important than the first one. When I defeated legendary Pete Sampras
in the US Open final in 2000, nobody could expect it. I was only 20.
Further victories happened at a different stage," Safin said.
As for Australia Open, Safin said he dreamt of winning it, but lost
twice. The victory came in 2005. "It was difficult for me, I felt horribly
on the court, but won nevertheless. Most pleasant victories are when you
prove something to yourself. It is much more difficult," he commented.
A for team performance, Safin said the most important was the first
Russian victory in Davis Cup in 2000. As for the 2006 Davis Cup victory,
"we played the final at home and could not lose."

.Korolev says no regret in defeating Safin.

MOSCOW, October 23 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia's Yevgeny Korolev did not
regret that his victory over Marat Safin in the Kremlin Cup on Thursday
signaled the end to the professional career of the former world number 1
ATP tennis player.
"This is sport and I am always happy to win," Korolev responded to a
question whether he regrets knocking out retiring Safin from his last
tournament.
"It was an interesting match and although we both did not play the
best tennis I would list the victory among the best in my career," 21-year
old Korolev said.
Although the crowd supported retiring Safin, Korolev said it did not
matter for him. "I often play against good and wellknown players and I am
used to ignore outcries from the stands. All my attention is focused on
the court," he said.
Korolev beat Safin 6:4, 7:6.
A day earlier Safin knocked out Nikolay Davydenko from the Cup 4-6,
6-4, 6-2 and thanked the number six in the world "for letting me win".

.Medvedev to discuss Universiade-2013 in Kazan.

MOSCOW, October 23 (Itar-Tass) -- President Dmitry Medvedev will
discuss sports problems on Friday in Kazan, which will host
Universiade-2013 games for university students.
He will also attend "Russia - a sports country" forum and chair a
meeting of the presidential council for physical culture and sports, his
spokeswoman Natalya Timakova said.
"A lot has been done to develop physical culture and sports and to
create normal conditions for millions of our people to rest. But to be
honest, it is yet insufficient," Medvedev said earlier.
The president is convinced that Russia will worthily hold the
Universiade and the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014.
"We are doing all that despite the deteriorating financial situation
in the world and our country because of the global financial crisis. I
believe these are events we have no right to save on," he said.
Medvedev himself daily swims and goes skiing in winter.
Kazan has to build 64 objects for Universiade and 30 have been already
completed. The opening of the Wrestling Palace and the Tennis Academy was
timed to Medvedev's visit.
For the first time Russia hosted the Universiade-1973 in Moscow.
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