Safin begins quest for 500

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Safin begins quest for 500

10/9/08 11:59 AM | David Cox
After reaching the milestone of 400 career ATP wins on Tuesday, Marat Safin begins his bid to reach a half-century today against France's Julien Benneteau.

Safin achieved the landmark in a slightly bizarre way. It's not often that a pro player wins a match and doesn't realize it! Having just clinched the third set 6-4 with a service hold, somehow Safin appeared to be under the impression that he was up 6-5 and Okun had a service game to come only to be informed by the umpire that the match was over! How the actual score hadn't registered in Safin's mind is a mystery, but anything is possible when the Russian is on court.

2008 has been a typically enigmatic season for Safin, highlighted by commanding wins over the likes of Novak Djokovic, Stanislas Wawrinka and Tomas Berdych, and that run to the Wimbledon semis, but also frittered with losses to the likes of Bobby Reynolds and Phillip Petzschner (in Bangkok last week).

Benneteau's ranked just outside the top 50 but has had a horrible summer and before his 6-4, 6-3 defeat of qualifier Harel Levy on Monday, he had not won a match since mid-June; eight straight losses. However, impressive runs in the French Open and Miami have kept him from dipping too much.

Safin won his only previous meeting with Benneteau in Bangkok two years ago in three sets.

Prediction: Safin in 2

Check out Julien Benneteau and Marat Safin head-to-head statistics

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Comments

Safin might not ever even make it to 401

and he just got bageled in the second set against Benneteau!

RickyDimon , 10/9/08 3:48 PM

Well, Ricky, he just beat Davy. So I hope you enjoyed your gloat for the time that it lasted.

mara2 , 10/10/08 11:30 PM

I didn't enjoy it close to as much as I am enjoying Safin's run this week.

He looked good today against Davydenko but I am quite nervous against Zverev. Safin often finds a way to follow up great wins with dismal losses.

Good luck to him. Safin-Santoro in the final would just be incredible.

RickyDimon , 10/11/08 12:20 AM

Against Koyla he played great, even when he lost his service he came back, really high concentration by Marat, lets hope hes still got more in the tank. Santoro isnt the player he was so IF they meet in the final Marat should have now excuses, im tired of the excuses tbh. But first Micha which is gonna be tricky...you just never know with Marat.

Britney , 10/11/08 12:05 PM

i just have to congratulate jelena for a suberb win. i gave up on her after dementieva took the first set 6 love. But she fought back and won the match. congrats

rakten , 10/11/08 1:27 PM

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