RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, March 12 – Marat Safin was stunned in his debut match on the Champions Series tennis circuit Friday, losing 7-6 (4), 6-4 to Wayne Ferreira in the quarterfinals of the Banco Cruzerio do Sul Rio Champions Cup.
Playing only 17 weeks after playing his last match on the ATP World Tour, Safin said he was out of sorts physically and struggled on the fast indoor courts of the Maracanãzinho Stadium.
After 20 minutes of play I was dead, said Safin, who turned 30 years old on January 27. I felt yesterday after hitting that I had pain in my elbow, in my knee. I had blisters. It is tough not to play for four months and then try to play. I have to get used again to play at least a couple of times a week. This is new for me.
Ferreira, 38, last played a full season on the ATP World Tour in 2004, but has experienced great success on the Champions Series, winning three titles and reaching two other finals since 2006. In 2009, he finished the Champions Series with a No. 9 ranking. The South Africans win over Safin was his first over the Russian after losing all three previous meetings during their ATP careers.
I knew it was going to be a tough match, said Ferreira. Marat has just left the tour. Marats game is based on the physical power and as he is not in a competitive shape. It gave me an edge.
Ferreira was not the only player to register an upset Friday in the opening Champions Series event of 2010 as Mats Wilander upset Jim Courier 6-4, 6-4 in the last quarterfinal match of the evening. Courier was fresh off finishing the 2009 Champions Series with the circuits No. 1 ranking. The win marked Wilanders first win over Courier in five previous Champions Series appearances. Wilander entered the match having lost eight of his last nine Champions Series matches.
Wilander took advantage of the exceptionally fast court surface by frequently sneaking to the net to keep Courier off balance throughout the match.
It was a very close match and playing Jim is always tough, said Wilander, the winner of seven major singles titles. I guess I was serving better and that gave me a bit of an advantage. Also, it was pretty close and I won the important points.
Joining Ferreira and Wilander in Saturdays semifinals are Mark Philippoussis of Australia and Fernando Meligeni of Brazil. Philippoussis earned a semifinal meeting with Wilander by defeating Cedric Pioline 7-5, 6-3. Meligeni advanced to face Ferreira by defeating Mikael Pernfors 3-6, 6-2, 10-7 (Champions Tie-Breaker).
Despite the loss, Safin said he was happy to be playing on the Champions Series circuit and visit Rio de Janeiro for the first time.
For me it is great to be here, he said. I lost but I am taking a lot from these days in Rio. Just spending time with these great champions and people that are here, practicing, in the events, appearances, clinics, having a drink here and there it is great. We spent a lot of time competing against each other, so many years on the tour, and now after some years that I dont see them. It is great to be here, get together and have the feeling of closeness that we had on our days on the tour, and this is tennis that gave me.
The Banco Cruzeiro do Sul Rio Champions Cup is the opening event on the 2010 Champions Series tennis circuit, the U.S.-based international tennis circuit for champion tennis players age 30 and over. Each Champions Series event features $150,000 in prize money – with the tournament champion earning $60,000 – and ranking points that determine the year-end No. 1.
Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling 5521-3005-4023 or on www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com The full schedule of play for the rest of the is as follows;
Saturday 13th March: Starting at 6 pm
Men’s Doubles Match
Semifinal #1 Wayne Ferreira vs. Fernando Meligini
Semifinal #2 – Mark Philippoussis vs. Mats Wilander
Sunday 14th March: Starting at 11 am
3rd Place Match
Championship Final
Courier finished the 2009 season as the top-ranked player on the Champions Series, followed by Pete Sampras and Todd Martin. John McEnroe won the inaugural Rio Champions Cup in 2009, defeating Courier 6-2, 6-3 in the final.
The full 2010 Champions Series schedule of tournaments will be announced in the near future. The first tournament in the United States the Staples Champions Cup – will be held April 29-May 2 in Boston, Mass., and will feature Bjorn Borg playing in his first tournament in the U.S. in 10 years.
InsideOut Sports + Entertainment is a New York City-based independent producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Champions Series tennis circuit, a collection of tournaments featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including “Legendary Night” exhibitions, charity events, corporate outings and tennis fantasy camps such as the annual “Ultimate Fantasy Camp”. Through 2009, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment events have raised over $4 million for charity. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.