We are receiving a sort of an update on former world No.1 Dinara Safina‘s career. One of the WTA Tour’s favorite personalities has announced that she will officially retire in 2014, even though her playing days have long been over. The source of the news is ITAR-TASS.
The 27-year-old Russian hasn’t competed since losing in the second round of Madrid in the spring of 2011 and in December same year she prolonged her layoff by saying she was not ready to return for the Australian season, doubting she would ever come back.
The back injury may have crushed her career on the WTA circuit, but her personality which combines humor, powerful tennis and sometimes short temper will always put a smile on our face. The images in this article are my little tribute to Safina’s epic quotes. I had made them some time ago and put them on Women’s Tennis Blog’s Pinterest page.
Good news is that Safina is now regularly updating her Twitter account, so she is hopefully not disappearing any time soon!
Dinara is my all time favorite player. From the time I watched her as a younster at La Costa. She would hit the ball out of the stadium when she was upset and seldom won back then, but you could see the fire in her eyes. I knew she was going to be a #1 player. Her matches were always the most exciting. I rolled on the floor laughing when she mowed down those flowers during the French Open final against Ivanovic. You never knew what she would do next, but she brought excitement to every game she played. Long live Dinara Safina!!
JohnnyB, I loved it that she was not all smiles and had that temper in her matches.
She was definitely *not* my favorite player and she was extremely prone to embarrassing meltdowns in terms of her game at the most important moments and especially when she was number over Serena, but I have a lot of respect for Dinara and never begrudged her ranking over Serena (my favorite) because she earned it the hard way. All those other titles. She was no slouch in her game either.
Marija, I too enjoyed that she was not all smiles and glamor. Often surly and pissed off in her matches. Lol like a true athlete; that’s what I admired about her and do in the same manner of Sharapova. Their match at the French Open in 2008 was hilarious because of both player’s demeanors and well played, if a little clumsy at times. Best of luck to her!
Zech, definitely, Dinara’s on-court character was a pure gem. Sharapova, IMO, is more controlled in terms of emotions, but regarding her determination and power, in that respect Safina and Sharapova can be compared.
Marija, you’re right. Sharapova is a lot more controlled in terms of emotions. What I was saying is that though Maria is pretty and cares about fashion and what not, she sure is not nice and doesn’t seem at all concerned with coming off as nice or charming when she’s on the court trying to win a match. Dinara had that same attitude and to watch them match up was entertaining haha. Her intensity and desire to win supersedes everything else. Maria doesn’t seem to mind looking “ugly” or mean the way Ivanovic and other players seem to care about to win a match, which is what I admire about her.
Zech, what you’re saying about Sharapova is due to her confidence, she’s one of the most confident players. On the contrary, Ivanovic is for example not like that.
Safina was not as confident as Sharapova either and her natural behavior was arising from her emotions. However, their determination could be compared, as well as the power of their strokes.
Marija, I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one. 🙂
Maria is one of the most confident players on tour for sure. But I sincerely do not think that is the only reason why she competes the way she does and why she and Serena and Vika among others have a distinct brand of winning and beating nearly everyone. She doesn’t seem to care about what other players or media think about how she competes which to me is why she brushes off all the talk about her grunting and continues about her business. She is focused on winning any way possible. On that point alone, I completely disagree with you. Its not just about being “confident”.
But yes, I don’t particularly like watching Safina or Sharapova play most of the time, but their match up at the French Open, was just classic. They were both fighting like junkyard dogs out there to win and that was great to see.
We have known for the last few years she is “retired” but she will just confirm it next year. She was rather fun to watch with her temper. Maria’s grunts are so bloody annoying at this point, I can’t watch grunters in matches. Tatiana Golovin is still not retired too.
What a polite exchange, I say, exchanging pointless comparisons…
By the way, Zech: what exactly does the sentence – nay, the statement – ‘Maria doesn’t seem to mind looking “ugly” or mean the way Ivanovic and other players seem to care about to win a match’, mean?! I, for one, would greatly appreciate any (meaningful) explanation.
Zech, I don’t think we disagree actually, but ok. And, from my perspective, the fact that she doesn’t seem to care what other players or media think comes from her confidence in herself.
P!nky, right, that’s kind of bizarre. And good reminder about Golovin!
Tulp, I understand what Zech wanted to say. About the “ugly”, players don’t always look their best in matches, all sweaty and stuff, but some players care more about it than others.
Marija, you, of course, may think you understand what he wanted to say, but your guess (or anyone’s, for that matter) is as good as mine… Now, let me add, while we’re at it: my own interpretation of that gibberish is a lot less “pretty” than yours – just try and imagine, without the imagined “all sweaty and stuff” etc…. and, especially, without imputing your own inborn goodness to everything and anything, while, at the same time, thinking that “that she doesn’t seem to care what other players or media think comes from her confidence in herself” (which, to me at least, sounds like a whole lot of personal wishful thinking).
P.S. In short, you don’t have to be good and naive at the same time. If you know what I mean. Cheers.
Tulp, you’re a gem! 😀
Oh, dear, Marija, I, erm, know that – but, nevertheless, you somehow manage to make me blush (again!).
Well, it’s good being a gem hehe 🙂
Nyet!