While waiting for the Thailand Open to begin in 2 days, and still no OOP, let's drift our focus and look ahead:

The Kremlin Cup held in Moscow, Russia is a month's throwaway and I'm excited, just as the Russians are, as they've already released the official acceptance list last week, and I published it late. Well, who reads these anyway ;)

But the good player always checks his opponents out before he wields the mighty sword to strike, so, for the fun of it, let's skim through.

So here's the Main Draw in order determined by ATP ranking, as of 08/31/09. Our spotlight-friendly Maratik is 11th on the tournament.

Kremlin Cup boasts of 7 Russians in the draw, followed by France with 3, and two from Argentina. Speaking in continental terms excluding the forementioned countries, the tourney has a total of 8 contenders from Europe, 2 from Asia, 1 from South America, and another one from the North. (I'm too technical for my taste.)


Davydenko, Nikolay
Cilic, Marin
Mathieu, Paul-Henri
Hanescu, Victor
Andreev, Igor
Kunitsyn, Igor
Santoro, Fabrice
Vassallo, Arguello Martin
Zverev, Mischa
Golubev, Andrey
SAFIN, MARAT
Youzhny, Mikhail
Koellerer, Daniel
Tipsarevic, Janko
Cuevas, Pablo
Lu, Yen-Hsun
Rochus, Christophe
Fognini, FabioI
Gabashvili, Teimuraz
Ginepri, Robby
Zeballos, Horacio
Korolev, Evgeny
Gicquel, Marc


Here's a career refresher: Marat was twice the runner-up, firstly in 2006 (bloggy days), to fellow Russian Kolya Davydenko, and in 2008, again to a compatriot, Igor Kunitsyn. I say, it could be Maratik this year, ringing bells, third time lucky, maybe just like the 2005 Australian Open (2002 and 2004 runner-ups to Johansson and Federer, respectively), and Paris (three-time champion 2000, 2002, 2004).

His run to the final was just last year, let's give him credit for that. And this is his last in his beloved homeland, so I think he might want to give it another hard punch. I am done with Marat and 'expectations', they are the most extreme antonyms I've ever heard of, so I just hope everything's in his favour.

It's a pretty relative draw, and all is up to Marat. He's beaten most of the guys in this list, and if anyone's a problem it's surely him, but I wouldnt wish for that, eh, right?

But before these worries come we have three tournaments before it! It depends on the ranking if Marat can make the Shanghai Masters 1000, I heard. Let us hope so. The schedule will be hard on him though, so let's pray for his good health and yours too...

whilst I'll be praying that my boss won't fire me before the tennis season ends for watching treaming matches while working. "Excusez-moi madamoiselle, these are my precious lunch breaks" is a fine reply if she demands an explanation for such inexcusable behaviour, don't you think?

I'm pretty close to the timelines of the tourneys except for Paris, so it'll be no problem, I'm not getting up in 4 in the morning to watch. So there. I think I'll be able to pull a stream for us guys. But anyway, MTF should be first at the scene, so just stop by here if there's none there by the time Marat's match is on. Be recording those videos too, for replay and archiving pleasures. :)

NEXT UP ON MARAT SAFIN'S TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:


PTT Thailand Open (Bangkok) ATP 250 Event
09/26/09 through 10/02/09

China Open (Beijing) ATP 500 Event
10/02/09 through 10/11/09

Shanghai Masters (Shanghai) ATP Masters 1000 Event
10/10/09 through 10/18/09 (Tentative, if Marat attends the tourney...)

Saint Petersburg Open (Saint Petersburg) ATP 250 Event
10/17/09 through 10/25/09

Kremlin Cup (Moscow) ATP 250 Event
10/17/09 through 10/25/09

Paris Masters (Paris-Bercy) ATP Masters 1000 Event
11/07/09 through 11/15/09

'Tis nice to watch my English skills sharpening a bit!
God, that was long.

Technically, yes. Some breaking news for all of us in AFP, 52 minutes ago fashion...

Nadal withdraws from Thailand Open (AFP)

BANGKOK — Spanish world number two Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from next week's Thailand Open due to a stomach injury, the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand said Monday.

The Thailand Open will be held from September 26 until October 4 in the suburbs of Bangkok with a top prize of 608,500 dollars.

"Nadal has informed organisers that he has an acute rupture of the right abdominal muscle and would like to withdraw from the Thailand Open," LTAT president Suwat Lipatapanlop told AFP.

It is the second time that Nadal has withdrawn from the tournament after pulling out in 2007 with a knee injury.

Suwat said he was disappointed but the tournament would still feature reigning champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, French world number ten Gilles Simon and two-time grand slam winner Marat Safin of Russia.

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Well at least the draw will be quite safe for Maratik, and hopefully, this will end into something very pleasant! Well I know that it's bad having a party because Nadal's out with an injury, but Marat needs all the help he can get to at least win a ATP 250 title before he takes his stride towards the ultimate retirement. Don't you quite agree?

Anyway, on other news, we've got the Chinese Maratik fans wanting you to participate in how Marat's retirement ceremony should go, style-wise, if you plan for dedications and roses. If you have great ideas, please do not hesitate to mail fino7marat e-mail address referral, here ya go: [email protected]

Good luck with that one!

Let's send a plane encrusted in gold with the letters W-E-L-O-V-E-Y-O-U-M-A-R-A-T! See you on the 25! ~.~

Lotsa,
Author

Here's an article on the China Open site about Marat holding his retirement ceremony there, along with the release Main Draw Entry List.

"On the women’s side, the first wild card goes to Belgium player, former world No. 1,Kim Clijsters. On the men’s side Marin Cilic from Croatia, Marat Safin from Russia, and Marcos Baghdatis from Cyprus received the three wild cards. All the past champions at China Open since 2004 are most likely to meet again at China Open.

Marat Safin had confirmed to hold his retirement ceremony at China Open. He expressed his affection and gratitude for China Open in his letter to the Chinese fans: “I had great experience at China Open last time I was there, and to win the champion at China Open is very important moment for me as well. I am very happy I will be back to Beijing this October to participate the first year of newly upgrade China Open, I would like to invite you all come and witness this great tournament with me at Olympic Stadium. And I also like you all be there and spend one of my memorable time with me at China Open.”

“Marat Safin has several options to hold his retirement ceremony after the US Open, including Beijing, Shanghai, Paris and Moscow,” said the player manager of China Open Organizing Committee, “and yet he chose China Open to bid farewell to all his fans around the world.” Safin means a lot to China Open and China Open also witnessed Safin achieving his best accomplishments. To bid farewell at China Open is to show his gratitude for his fans in China and in Asia. Fighting in the same stadium with his sister Safina undoubted means something special for him, noted the manager."

I thought Bercy was the place to say it formally. Well plans change....

Marat's received a wildcard entry along with Marcos Baghdatis on October 2. Everyone's happy, another tournament for the farewell tour. Dinara's also in. :)

Here's the actual article, released this week. Indulge. Lucky are the people who get to watch him play.



Grand slams stars to shine at China Open
By Guan Xiaomeng (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-09-09 17:24
One year after the Beijing Olympics, the Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Court will again host Rafael Nadal, the Beijing Olympic champion, together with a swarm of his fellow star players. 　　The organizing committee of the China Open tennis tournament announced on Monday all of the regular players confirmed to play at the upcoming Open in early October are ranked within the ATP top 50.

　　Top ten seeds and grand slam winners including Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick will join the tournament in China and eighteen of the top-30 ranked men's players have also confirmed. All of the 25 regular players are from the top 45. Two of the wildcards have gone to former China Open champions, but lower-ranked, Marat Safin of Russia and Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.