THE SCOOP: SATURDAY, MAY 29

Safin on the blister break:
‘Starace probably still thinks I’m an asshole’
Lleyton’s defense, Pierce’s stress; Fourth-round picks

Photos: Susan & Fred Mullane/ Camerawork USA

Potito Starace has to wonder about Safin blister.

Hewitt continues his relatively quiet move through the draw.

Amelie should have an easy round against Maleeva.

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

FROM ROLAND GARROS – Marat Safin again leapt over the wall on Saturday night and won a four-hour, 25-minute heartbreaker over Potito Starace. But will Safin have enough steam in his legs to take down David Nalbandian in the quarters? Moreover, will his blistered left hand (eight total “without any skin on them”) heal by Sunday? Doubtful on both counts.

But know this: Safin wasn’t breaking the rules when he called for a trainer at 4-5, deuce, in the fifth set after saving two match points. Nor was it outright gamesmanship. His hand was torn apart.

“We’re not playing the juniors here,” he said. “It’s the pro tour. I had to take the timeout. I couldn’t hit a backhand. Why do I have to suffer, to waste three hours running, why can’t I call the doctor It’s really sad that [fans] can’t understand that.”

Safin showed his hand to Starace to assure him he wasn’t faking it. “I thought he was going to tell me what an asshole I am.” Safin said. “He probably still thinks I’m an asshole. But that’s sport. I have to take care of myself. If I don’t, who will?”

Lleyton Hewitt also pole-vaulted to another monumental victory, this one a five-setter over ’03 finalist Martin Verkerk. Hewitt is going to have to get much more offensive if he faces ’02 champ Albert Costa in the quarters. … Russian Igor Andreev is for real and will give Gaston Gaudio a load of trouble in the fourth round. … Tomorrow’s men’s popcorn match is soaring Carlos Moya against the searing hot Tommy Robredo. … Guillermo Coria shouldn’t have too much trouble against Nicolas Escude as the French men continue to fall. … I’d give Olivier Mutis a better chance against J-I Chela. … Of the 17 men left in the draw (Costa-Malisse was suspended for darkness), nine are native Spanish or Portuguese speakers.

Who’s excited about the eight women’s fourth-rounder's on Sunday? I am, I am. Quick picks: Amelie Mauresmo over Maggie Maleeva, which won’t be as dicey as it appears on paper; Lindsay Davenport in a brutal three-setter over Elena Dementieva, and that’s only if she serves huge; Serena Williams to swamp Shinobu Asagoe; Jennifer Capriati to play her best match of the tournament over Francesca Schiavone; Venus Williams to battle hard and out punch Fabiola Zuluaga in two tough sets; Maria Sharapova to hit through Marlene Weingartner; Paola Suarez to sweat past Jie Zheng; and in the women’s coffee and chocolate mouse special (gals don’t have popcorn matches), Svetlana Kuznetsova to finally topple Anastasia Myskina.

Quote of the day
From Mary Pierce, after Venus smoked her, 6-3, 6-1: “I wanted this match badly, so it was a lot of pressure for me. When I’m thinking too hard that I should win, the worst tennis comes out of me.”