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Safin is not retiring yet in Paris tennis event at Bercy
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(AP Photo/Michel Euler)
November 10, 2009-Marat Safin, playing his final tournament on the ATP tour, held off three match points against local favorite Thierry Ascione. Safin held on for a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3) victory.
The Russian is ending his career at the BNP Paribas Masters where he has enjoyed great success. Safin has won the title three times, lifting the trophy in 2000, 2002, 2004 and finished runner-up on his debut in 1999. This latest win improves Safin to a 24-4 tournament record.The streak might end shortly as Safin plays Juan Martin Del Potro, US Open champion, in the next round.
“The tennis I'm playing at the moment is not the best of my career. I always came here to win, but this time, frankly, I don't think I can do that. I'll just try to finish on a high note and say goodbye to everybody,” said Safin.
Safin, ranked 65th will face Del Potro for the first time. "The way he's playing right now, I don't think I have a chance," confessed Safin. "But I'm going to try. Why not? If I'm going to serve well and he's not going to be at his best, I have a chance. At the end of the day, I don't think I'm going to be the winner. I'm going to make a decent match, that's for sure."
(AP Photo/Andy Wong)
(AP Photo/Daniel Leiva)
In other news, sixth-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko helped his chances of securing a berth at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, with a 6-2, 6-1 second-round victory over Benjamin Becker of Germany at the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris on Tuesday. A defeat for any two of Fernando Verdasco, Robin Soderling, Fernando Gonzalez and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will put him through to London.
The Tennis Channel is covering all the rounds of this last tennis tournament of the ATP season before the London finale later in November. The Paris indoor tournament at Bercy continues through to the Sunday final on November 15.
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