Safin ending career with a whimper

Marat Safin seldom does things quietly. In a career which has seen the former World Number One win 15 career titles, including two Grand Slams, it's recently been his words off the court making the headlines, on what is his last year on the ATP tour.

Speaking just after defeating Ernests Gulbis, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday at the LA Tennis Open, Safin spoke of the emotional stress of twelve years on tour that has pushed him to retire.

"It’s getting tougher and tougher to play these kinds of matches, to fight when you’re struggling and not playing well," Safin said. "It’s difficult to motivate yourself and take care of your body. You have to spend much more time in a gym and practicing. There are so many other things to do. I need some vacation. At least half a year just to relax and realize that I’m not anymore a tennis player. And to understand that there is life afterwards. To relax because it’s too much stress throughout the years."

Of course, Safin is no stranger to saying exactly what he thinks, or, indeed, doing whatever he wants. The Russian is well known for his emotional outbursts during matches, and during the course of his career he's smashed numerous rackets - thought to be around 300 overall.

And that's part of the appeal with Safin. He's passionate, unpredictable, and it makes him all the more compelling. There's not many other players that could get away with dropping their pants to celebrate a spectacular point, as he did during the French Open in 2004. But behind the complicated exterior lies a supremely talented tennis player.

At his peak, he was considered one of the most talented and physically imposing players in the game. At 6"4, with a monster serve and powerful return, Safin could hang with the best of them. But a lack of consistency, along with an inability to keep his emotions in check has blighted his career. And as things stand, his career is ending with a whimper.

The same can not be said for Tommy Haas. On the face of it, both players are not too dissimilar. Both have played over a decade on tour, and Haas, too, wears his heart on his sleeve on court.

And that's where the similarities end.

At the tail end of his career, Haas is showing something of a resurgence. The German is motivated and focused, with good showings at Wimbledon and Roland Garros earning himself a spot in the Top 20. On the contrary, Safin has yet to beat a top 50 player this year. Until this week, he hadn't put together back-to-back victories since the Australian Open. And when asked about the upcoming US Open, the 29 year old gave himself “no chance” to win, instead preferring to talk about his plans after Tennis.

“There are so many things to do. As long as it’s not tennis.”

He may not miss Tennis, but Tennis is going to miss him.