How can you NOT love this man, really ...

I was going to make this post about alot of other stuff, above all, Henin's shock retirement and my sentiments towards perhaps aesthetically the most pleasing athlete on the WTA tour after the incomparable Graf.

Or i was going to talk about how the our be-hatred Jerk-o-vic was grounded into dirt by King Rafa, albeit with a stark reality that Novak really is out there to stay. Maybe i`d have talked about Rafa and his burgeoning skills on clay court and how i dont see him losing out on this particular surface for another three years atleast, health permitting. I`d have perhaps chosen to discuss the single most important worrying thought swirling in my mind , that of Roger Federer and his rotten 2008 and his inability to even remotely accept that he is unable to match up to the craptastic journeyman of tour. I mean, losing to Mardy Fish, then Radek Stapnek, both at Semi Final and then Quarter final of a MASTER SERIES event - its unbelievably shocking to see how lax Rog has been, BUT - despite all of that - i read a particular article by the ever erudite Peter Bodo and that compelled me to throw out all of my previous plans and write this blog about the ONE AND ONLY , Marat ...... Marat Safin.

Its hard to imagine that this tall, powerful, ultra-charismatic Russian will be a major force in tennis again. Balls just exploded off Safin's racket; he had/has one of the best, forehand-backhand-one-two punches of all time. He's the only guy who showed that, at this best, he could whip an in-form Roger Federer on hard courts.

(http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3388372&name=bodo_peter) read for entire article

You see , regardless of my love for the old, yet lifetime heroes like Pete Sampras (my ALL TIME FAVOURITE PLAYER), or Goran Ivanenisvic, or lately Roger Federer (2nd to Sampras in my beloved players) there remains one special category which is owned by the charismatic, mercurial, phenomenally talented yet tragically flawed .... one and only - Marat Safin. I mean, i can go on and on and wax lyrical about this man who has driven me nuts over the years ever since his victory in 2000 Us Open. Here is the man who can, on his day, be the GREATEST tennis champion in contemporary era, vying for the top spot with Roger Federer, squashing the likes of Roddicks, DJerkovics, but like all the mortal, flawed heroes, he too is one who has left us fans craving for more, and more. How gut wrenching it is ( and i do not exaggerate ) to see him losing to ridiculously lame journemen players, one has no idea. But I, hereby again declare my undying love for this special player, who will always remain my eternal emotional favourite, and for whom i ll always hope for a replica of Wimbledoon 2001 ala Goran, when Marat would be able to rise from the ashes , summon all of his divine abilities and conjour up magic by winning ONE more grandslam .... and go down in glory. I truly, honestly, pray for that.