Safin slams Wimbledon's grass courts

WIMBLEDON, England -- Marat Safin has an aversion to the grass courts at Wimbledon. In fact, he hates them so much he wants no part of the place.

"I give up on Wimbledon," Safin said after losing to fellow Russian Dmitry Tursunov in the first round. "This is definitely not the tournament for me."

Safin's disdain contrasted sharply with the sentiments of Serena Williams, the two-time defending champion who beat China's Zheng Jie 6-3, 6-1 in her opening match Tuesday on Centre Court.

"The most special thing is coming back as a champ," Williams said. "Win, lose or draw, it's just a great feeling to be defending champion at Wimbledon. I don't get that feeling at any other Grand Slam. I just get it here at Wimbledon."

Part of the Wimbledon experience is rain -- and showers delayed the start of play Wednesday. With organizers already 45 matches behind schedule after two days of delays, heavier rain, strong wind and possibly hail were forecast.

"There is quite a good hope of some play and we're crossing our fingers and just hoping that at least we get all the unfinished matches of yesterday completed today," referee Alan Mills said.

Second-seeded Andy Roddick and No. 3 Guillermo Coria were among those hoping to resume matches that had been suspended Tuesday evening.

Roddick was up 4-2 against Taiwan's Wang Yeu-tzuoo on Centre Court. Coria, the French Open runner-up, has already played over two days. He was two points away from victory against Wesley Moodie when play was stopped at 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-7 (3), 5-3.

The courts were still covered at mid-afternoon Wednesday, with the prospect of any play uncertain.

"I expect this when I come here," said Goran Ivanisevic, the 2001 champion who is retiring after this tournament. "We had great weather the last two weeks. I knew something bad has to come."

Ivanisevic, scheduled to play a second-round match against Filippo Volandri, said he would probably go for a run to pass the time.

"It's tough to know what to do," he said. "If you stay here, you go crazy. If you go home, you also go crazy."

Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, one of Safin's biggest fans, came to watch him Tuesday on Court 2. He left after Safin lost four straight games to drop the second set.

Things then got only got worse for Safin. He smashed his racket, swore at the umpire and put in little effort near the end of the 4- 6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (1) defeat.

"After awhile, I just get bored," he said. "I lost completely motivation, and I give up."

It was a startling admission from a player who is no stranger to controversy. At the French Open last month, Safin pulled down his shorts during a second-round victory over Felix Mantilla.

Safin, 24, is considered one of the most talented and physically imposing players in the game. He won the U.S. Open and reached No. 1 in the rankings in 2000. He got to the Australian Open final twice (2002 and 2004) and the French Open semis in 2002.

But Wimbledon has always been Safin's least favorite Grand Slam. He reached the quarterfinals in 2001, but failed to advance past the second round in three other appearances.

Tuesday's loss marked the first time he's been knocked out in the first round of a Grand Slam event since the 2000 Australian Open.

While the swaggering 6-foot-4 Safin would seem to have the physique and booming shots to win at Wimbledon, he insists he just can't deal with the footwork and low bounces.

"I don't feel like I'm moving," he said. "I cannot move there. Every time, I don't know how it's going to bounce. It's like a real nightmare for me."

Part of the adjustment to grass is mental.

"You have to be really focused in your mind, but it's not my territory," Safin said.

Safin didn't say he won't be back at Wimbledon, only that from now on he won't bother showing up early to practice on grass or play in warmup events. Instead, he'll just arrive a couple of days before the tournament.

"I hate this," he said. "I'll just practice a couple of days, then I play. I'm not going to waste my time on that knowing I will not play well."

Yeltin's presence didn't help some other top Russian players, either.

Also upset in the first round was sixth-seeded Elena Dementieva, the French Open finalist, who lost 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 to Sandra Kleinova of the Czech Republic. No. 8 Svetlana Kuznetsova was ousted by France's Virginie Razzano in three sets.

Williams, meanwhile, has become so enthralled with her English surroundings she's becoming a booster of the England soccer team and 18-year-old sensation Wayne Rooney. He has scored four goals to lead England to the quarterfinals of the Euro 2004 championship in Portugal.

"I'm a big fan of Rooney now and obviously (Michael) Owen and (David) Beckham, especially Rooney because he really saved the team, so I'm really excited," Williams said. "I can't believe I'm even talking the lingo here!"

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