SIDEBAR: Safin will wake up from now on without tennis on his mind

Nov 11, 2009, 14:36 GMT

Paris - Marat Safin will wake up Thursday without tennis responsibilities for the first time in his life after retiring on schedule at the Paris Masters.

But already the 29-year-old Russian is ready to go into action in his post-tennis life, which means that he has no time to lose.

'The next couple of months are going to be very tough ones,' the two-time Grand Slam winner said after losing a second-round match to Juan Del Potro 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

'I have to be really fast and I have to be very smart about what I'm doing and the decision that I'm making. I'll have some vacations in the summer. Next few months, I need to work, work hard.'

Ever since announcing at the start of the season that this would be his final event, Safin has kept his future options to himself. They remain that way, though he will admit to planning a Paris celebration to mark the conclusion of a 12-year career.

'I will go with the flow. Now I have no time, no schedule, no practices, no nothing. I belong to myself. I have all freedom all for me. So hopefully it's going to be fun. I'm pretty sure it's going to be fun.'

Safin, who won his majors at the 2000 US Open and 2005 Australian, said the game has changed beyond all recognition during his time.

'I started ten years ago, basically, and now it's a completely different sport. The guys have improved so much. They are much faster, much stronger.

'The other guys, they know how to volley, they know how to return. They serve each time over 200 kph. When I started, if somebody serves 205, this is like, wow.'

But the freewheeling Russian with a taste for a good time and a rapid-fire wit, admits that he no longer has the drive to compete and is therefore happy to be making his graceful exit.

'You're completely like stressed 24/7, this is what I hate about it. It's just too much, there is no rest for the brain at all.

'In a different sport, soccer, hockey, basketball, you sign a contract, and no matter how you played, you play decent, you make your money.

'Here it's all up to this exact moment. If you're doing well, you're going to make it; if you're not doing well, you're going to suck it up and basically change the lifestyle.

'Once you are top 10, and then you can drop to 150. And it's difficult to come back. So it's a very tough living.'