MARAT SAFIN

Q. You seemed to have a tough time getting on track tonight. Is that something Dent was doing or were you having a hard time finding your game tonight?

MARAT SAFIN: I just couldn't find it. From beginning I felt like it's -- like it was impossible to play my game. It was a bad start, of course, because for some reason I just didn't feel comfortable on the court, and then it was difficult to come back.

I had my chance at 5-All, you know, Love-40. Just I didn't play all -- all the match I didn't play well. And after this opportunity, you know, it just was downhill.

Q. Was it more or less the same problem in the first round?

MARAT SAFIN: No. Just I couldn't -- just the worst match I ever played probably in my entire career. I didn't felt so bad on the court ever, ever in my life. Just no matter what I would do, it just would not go my way. Just -- I don't know. I don't know. Just happens, I guess. The frustration that you get when you're trying and you're trying and you're trying and just doesn't -- anything goes your way. It's a terrible feeling.

Q. Did you try to change something during the match, a new strategy?

MARAT SAFIN: What you can change? You can't do much. I mean, I couldn't do the most simple things. I couldn't really serve well. Just keep life in the match, have opportunities. On his serve I didn't return at all, you know, the way I should return, when you're playing a big server from the baseline. I made so many unforced errors. Just basically he was winning the rallies, which it already says a lot. Normally he has no chance in the rallies because it's not his game. I'm just from the baseline much better than him. He has to find something extra to do to beat me.

But the way I felt today, just I couldn't put two balls inside the court. It's really frustrating that it happens, you know, especially here in Indian Wells in a Masters Series event.

Q. In these kind of moments, does Lundgren tell you something immediately or is he going to wait?

MARAT SAFIN: I mean, he said what he had to say. But there's also a little bit -- of course, he understands the way I'm feeling, the way, you know, everybody pass through these moments in their careers. And it's difficult to say something to the guy. It's not like something was going wrong. It's not like you can -- you have to change something immediately, there is something you have to improve immediately.

It's just the fact that it happens, you know, like you -- it happens. It's a nonsense, you know. You can't play -- it will not happen another match like this in a long time. Even if you try, you can't play so bad - even if you try. I mean, you can't really -- what are you going to say? Like I said, shit happens. It can happens to anybody. Unfortunately, it happened to me today. I really touched the bottom of my game.

Q. You said earlier tonight you felt bad on the court. When you come here, it seems you feel bad for one reason or another. One year you had the bad back, then the stomach flu.

MARAT SAFIN: I don't know what to say. Every year I'm trying, every year I'm coming with new expectations. I'm trying to do right things and trying to work as much as I can before the tournament. I want to do well because I never did well here. And for some reason it doesn't -- just it doesn't -- it's not my tournament, I guess.

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