Russian Marat Safin cashed in as the Australian Open went indoors on Tuesday, crushing Slovakian practice partner Dominik Hrbaty to power into the semifinals.
Last year’s runner-up cantered to an easier-than-expected straight-sets victory, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 in just one hour and 30 minutes, in a match played under a closed roof amid sweltering temperatures in Melbourne.
Safin now faces the exciting prospect of a semifinal on Thursday against either defending champion Roger Federer or four-time winner Andre Agassi, who play their quarterfinal later on Tuesday.
The big Russian clearly benefited from the organisers’ decision to close the roof on Rod Laver Arena under the tournament’s extreme-heat policy.
It was a decision that delighted Safin but infuriated Hrbaty.
”I really honestly prefer to play against him indoors. It’s much, much better,” Safin said. ”When the tournament director came and told us we were gonna play with the closed roof, it looked as though he [Hrbaty] wasn’t really happy with that.”
Hrbaty said Safin’s game became more formidable when he served indoors away from the weather variables.
”Of course, I wasn’t happy,” Hrbaty said. ”I mean, I was still confident that I could give Marat a hard time, but I think his game stepped up one or two levels when he found out that we play indoor.
”He was serving much better. I think you can’t serve like this if you play outdoor, just so solid and so hard without the heat factor.”
Safin, two days ahead of his 25th birthday, had too much raw power for outgunned Hrbaty in what was his easiest win over the Slovakian in 13 meetings. He has now edged ahead 7-6 in career head-to-head.
”After the first couple of games today, I was a little bit tense, but I found out myself, and I discovered how to play against him, what I had to do,” Safin said. ”That is why it looks a little bit so easy. But on the court is completely different.”
It was Safin’s first semifinal appearance since last year’s Australian Open after first-round exits at last year’s Wimbledon and US Opens and a third-round demise at Roland Garros.
He has now made six grand-slam semifinals for a win in the 2000 US Open and final appearances in Melbourne last year and 2002.
Hrbaty was bidding to reach the semifinals at a grand slam for the second time after 1999 Roland Garros where he fell to eventual champion Andre Agassi in four sets, but he never looked like repeating that.
Safin broke Hrbaty’s serve six times, breaking the Slovakian in the third and seventh games to have the opening set shot to pieces in 26 minutes.
Safin had Hrbaty up against the wall in the opening game of the second set, claiming a break when a booming forehand hit the corner.
Hrbaty was again under pressure in his next service game down two break points and Safin smashed a backhand return winner for a 3-0 lead.
Hrbaty got his first service break of the match in the sixth game to halt Safin’s march temporarily, but the Russian fourth seed confidently served it out, clinching the set with an ace in 36 minutes.
The Slovakian had no answer to Safin’s brute power and again was broken for the fifth time in the first game of the final set, down 0-40.
Safin again broke Hrbaty in the seventh game with two break points and served out for victory. — Sapa-AFP