Safin ends career with Paris Masters defeat

PARIS, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Former world number one Marat Safin ended his playing career with a 6-4 5-7 6-4 defeat by U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Porto at the Paris Masters on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old Russian, who had saved three match points to squeeze past French qualifier Thierry Ascione in the first round of his final tournament on Monday, fought bravely against the Argentine world number five.

“I knew there were not many chances I would beat him but I played pretty well, had pretty close calls,” said Safin, who was warmly cheered on by the crowd at the Bercy hall and greeted with rounds of the Mexican wave.

Showing glimpses of his old form, Safin, who has not won a title since the 2005 Australian Open, challenged Del Porto by taking a tight second set.

Safin, who held the number one spot for several weeks in 2000 and 2001 but has dropped out of the top 50, was broken in the third game of the decisive set and his opponent then stayed in control.

The Russian, who won the Paris event three times, saved a match point at 5-3 down with a forehand winner but Del Potro then served for the match, sealing victory with an ace.

“This is where it all started and this where it finishes,” said Safin, who burst into the limelight as a teenage qualifier at the 1998 French Open, posting wins over Andre Agassi and Gustavo Kuerten. “There was no better place to do this.”

REBELLIOUS SPIRIT

The gifted but erratic Russian, who also won the 2000 U.S. Open, defeating Pete Sampras in a memorable final, was once regarded as one of the world’s most spectacular players and will also be remembered for his rebellious spirit and dry humour.

The rise of Roger Federer, then Rafael Nadal, and a string of injuries meant, however, that the hugely talented Safin could not live up to high expectations.

“I was a decent player,” he said. “Just in general, I’ve been great to everybody, even if I had a few fights with chair umpires.”

Safin said he was not sure what he would do next but was delighted to be freed from the gruelling routine of competitive tennis.

“Now I have no schedule, no practices, no nothing,” he said. “I belong to myself. Tomorrow I’ll wake up and see what I want to do.”

Asked if he could emulate Agassi by coming up with a book of revelations, Safin said: “I’m not writing a book, no chance. All my memories, all my secrets will stay with me.”