Blaze of Glory

Okay, time for candidate #2 in the race for this year's Juan (aka Jodi's adventure in wishful thinking). Time to discuss... Marat Safin.

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I know he's not an up and coming young gun looking for a hot streak to propel him into the top ten. The majority of Marat's career is behind him. But why not go out with a bang? Why not?

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What has Marat got to lose? Nothing. And it would be so, so very Marat, after a lacklustre few years, the only major spot of wow being that Wimbledon semi, to get on a roll and blaze through draws like a bushfire. He's got the ability - I don't think anyone would ever question the sheer ability and talent of the Safinator. It's a question of the mind.

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I'm hoping that that exhibition against Sampras the other day gave Marat a sense of history. His career opened with a spectacular bang in the US - maybe Marat will become motivated to make it end the same way. Though I don't know how much motivation is the question... I don't even know what the question is. But Marat can do this. He can. I want him to.

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Oh, I don't even know what I'm saying - except that I want Marat to do well, and I believe he can do it. Unfortunately, he comes up against our candidate #1, Ernests Gulbis, in the second round... but at least it means one of them will make it to the quarters!

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Today's Results

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Allianz Suisse Open Gstaad (Gstaad)

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Igor Andreev def. Jan Hernych, 6-4 6-1

Jeremy Chardy def. Mikhail Youzhny, 6-3 5-7 6-3

Victor Crivoi def. Teimuraz Gabashvili, 6-4 6-4

Andreas Beck def. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 7-6 (7-3) 1-6 7-6 (7-3)

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ATP Studena Croatia Open (Umag)

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Nikolay Davydenko def. Daniel Gimeno-Traver, 6-2 6-2

David Ferrer def. Daniel Koellerer, 6-1 6-7 (2-7) 6-3

Maximo Gonzalez def. Viktor Troicki, 6-4 3-6 7-6 (8-6)

Nicolas Almagro def. Marcel Granollers, 6-1 6-3

Oscar Hernandez def. Sergiy Stakhovsky, 7-6 (7-3) 6-1

Ivan Ljubicic def. Filippo Volandri, 6-1 6-4

Alberto Martin def. Martin Klizan, 6-4 6-4

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LA Tennis Open (Los Angeles)

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Carsten Ball def. Dmitry Tursunov, 6-4 0-1 retired

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Bank of the West Classic (Stanford)

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Samantha Stosur def. Monica Niculescu, 6-1 7-5

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Istanbul Cup (Istanbul)

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Marta Domachowska def. Aravane Rezai, 6-3 4-6 6-4

Vera Dushevina def. Maria Elena Camerin, 6-0 6-1

Olga Govortsova def. Angelique Kerber, 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 6-4

Timea Bacsinszky def. Mariya Koryttseva, 6-2 3-6 4-1 retired