LONDON (AFP) - Dinara Safina insisted nobody could now question her world number one status as she made it into the Wimbledon semi-finals.
The Russian, who has never won a Grand Slam title, has now reached at least the semi-finals in all of the last four majors and is adamant that fact alone proves she has consistently been a top player over the last 12 months.
And she insisted she had the "weapons" to shoot down defending champion Venus Williams in the semi-finals.
The top seed reached the Wimbledon last four for the first time on Tuesday with a 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-1 win over unseeded German teenager Sabine Lisicki.
"I guess now the people cannot say why I'm the number one without a Grand Slam title," the 23-year-old said.
"All four Grand Slams I have been in the semis, so I think it's something impressive."
Lisicki backed up Safina's assessment.
"She's the number one in the world. She has been in Grand Slam finals, so she has earned the top spot in the rankings. She has worked very hard for it. I respect her a lot," the 19-year-old said.
Safina said she was not daunted by facing five-time Wimbledon champion Williams next.
"Definitely this is her best surface. She loves playing here in Wimbledon," the Muscovite said.
"I have nothing to lose. I played her in Rome and I beat her in Rome. So I know what she's doing. I know her weapons. I have my weapons. So I just want to go out there, play my best.
"Don't misunderstand that I have nothing to lose because I am playing her.
"I cannot go on court thinking I lost already. No, definitely I think I have a chance there. And, I know what I have to do on the court, and I want to do it next match.
"If I play my best and she plays the best, it's 50-50 who going to win the match. I don't think if I play my best tennis and she plays her best tennis that she's the favourite. I think I still have a chance."
Despite losing the first set by double-faulting on a tie-break, Safina recovered to beat world number 41 Lisicki in two hours, 28 minutes on Centre Court.
Safina sent down 15 double faults in total.
"Sometimes even I don't know what I'm doing with my serve," she said.
"I say, OK, go down, go up, do this. Then I toss the ball and I'm already by the fence running.
"It's just my brain sometimes doesn't do the things that I have to do.
"I don't know what's exactly there, what problems."
Lisicki, had an impressive run to the quarter-finals. She knocked out 32nd seed Anna Chakvetadze, French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova then ninth seed Caroline Wozniacki.
The emerging youngster, who had never been beyond the third round of a Grand Slam or the first round at Wimbledon before, said she bowed out on a high note.
"I had a great tournament. Nobody expected it to happen, including myself. Of course, I'm sad that I lost. But I gave it all that I had and I fought hard," she said.
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and safina did not create herself the wta system
you could read the transcription of her interview and see she did not insist on anything like that
i belive that safina deserves to be number 1 ok she hasnt won a gs yet but she has a better record than any other lady overall and thats what the rankings are recorded by so people need to just forget about it if venus beats her then i think venus will overtake her in the rankings please correct me if i am wrong but right now she is number 1 so well done dinara
LOL.. How coud you say that u deserve to be no.1 as you have played matches consistently. My dear Safina.. For someone who have progress to no. 1 for playing so many matches, yet why are you still unable to improve your game after all that expereince to win a slam. Isnt that ironic. I thought practice will make you perfect? Maybe you just need pure talent to be a real champ. hmmm.
As for respect. Look at Vic and Serena after their match yesterday. They were talking happily with each other while walking off court. This show that they respect each other as a player and Vic clearly respect Serena's game alot. She even admits it.
Look at most of the interviews. Most of the girls respect the Williams games...
When you are that bold to make such a comment, just make sure you have something gold to show follow.
Still.. I wish you the best for your game with the Grass Queen. Show us your "weapons" which you claimed can win against Venus. LOL . . I wonder if thats the same weapon you use to get to the Semis. LOL
Yes.. I love the Williams Game....
Safina has a real big mouth n she doesnt even have the credentials to back it up. Gettin to the semi's or beta show ur a bridesmaid n neva the bride. Wen it comes to competin against Williams she is always certain to lose unless its clay, n even then on safinas best surface she labours to a 3 set win. But Williams beat her in 2 on all other surface. An that sound she makes, ugh, annoying.
Safina should learn "humility" - that would make her a better, overall person and player. She definitely is not a joy to watch or hear unlike the Williams' sisters - who are true champions in every sense of the word !! Good luck Venus and Serena !
What a joke so because she cam get to a semi's it makes her a good number 1 is that what the level has come down too, why can't she just win a slam & be a respected number 1. I never heard Serena say ever before " we all know who the real number 1 is" and again say " i guess you don't have to win slams to be number 1, any ways i don't care" when its not true she does care she and many think to be a real number 1 you can't just be queen of the small but queen of the big at least reach the level it needs to win a slam, which is by far from the level you need to win a premie or otherr. Safina has no respect from players and really its not such a big deal to beat her because she isn't a number 1 that is feared something that other number 1's have had, Justine, the Williams, Steffi, Hingis and the list goes on. Yes the systen needs to change.. No one can argue that she is more consistent and am i not saying outside tournaments are not important they are you play more of them than you do slams in saying that slams are the pinacle the icing on the cake the ones that big players step up to take they are very few "how did you win that" moments in slams.
Further more the constant looking at the coach looking desparate when plan a is not working or when she is being pressured just shows she can't handle when things are not working a lack of plan B something a world number 1 should always have, shes come on leaps and bounds why isn't this area being addressed tennis is not just about power a lot of thinking and tactical change is needed if you want to stay in the game longer, Jankovic came with a little basket collected till she couldn't no more and left with no slam, Ivanovic bless her has no plan b doesn't know how to take the pace of think a little go for less, better margin and her @#$% on the serve my oh my nope and couldn't handle the pressure. Dinara's double fault are just a
According to the ranking system she is indeed the number one. One might argue about the system which takes more in account the number of games won than championships won.
But it's also true that Safina without a slam, her number one status is somewhat weak. Here is why:
1) Had she won a slam even 5 years ago and nothing since then, I bet nobody would have questionned her number one status.
2) If she is consistently making it to semi finals and can't make the slam (i.e consistently beaten by other players), the obvious answer to this is that she is not good enough and needs more shots. If she was losing against the same person (e.g. like Federer against Nadal at RG) then one might argue that circumstances didn't help.
Unfortunately, Safina's style of play reflects what venus used to be 10 years ago - hit an miss power but nothing else... she'd be better off trying to claim number 1 and the Wimbledon title by using smarts and techniques. Williams sis make the WTA tour very boring to watch -- all the young female players try to imitate their style as they think it would get them somewhere. It will not; it will, however, help them make much money at the expense of the yawning crowds all over the world... I stopped attending local wta tournaments.... less $$ is coming in from me... WTA should learn a bit from the ATP players.
the ranking says she´s no 1....she merits it..but everybody knows the two best players in the WTA ..the 2 sisters, i know some people dont want to see this but its simply the truth...the williams are just the worlds best players in the tour...until they retire before the other faces will start showing properly in grand slams....faces like safina,azarenka,wozniacki,dementieva,jankovic,ivanovic, kurznetzova e.tc . i´m not saying this because i´m their fan,...but because its the simple truth...u guys should just think about it.....OK WATCH WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT GAMES, JUST WATCH AND SEE HOW THEY WILL OUTCLASS THEIR OPPONENTS THE WAY THEY´VE BEEN DOING ALL THE WAY....NO DOUBT.
There's no perfect system. The current system says she's the No. 1. So be it.
We can have 2 ranking systems. Grand Slam No. 1 and consistancy No. 1.
Who cares. Just play tight matches. No 6-0, 6-1 and we are happy.
OK, say you're a formula 1 driver and you consistently get 2nd and 3rd places while 2 other drivers oscillate between winning and crashing out - and you end up winning the championship without ever winning a race. That would definitely raise some eyebrows and some questions. Just like people will hold just that little bit of doubt before Federer beats Rafa while they are both on top form before they will unequivocably surrender the "best ever" moniker to him, so will Safina have to endure the doubts until she wins a slam. I'm not saying it's fair or not, it just is.
If you have to tell everyone you are the world number one then in my eyes you are not the world number one if Dinara was world number one people would be telling her she is number one not the other way around
yeah theres a difference between being number one and being the best player in the world...safina is the no.1...period
I have never known such disrespect for a World Number-1 in ANY sport!!!!
According to the WTA, Dinara Safina is the Number-One ranked player in the world - that's good enough for me!
Even watching the games on the television, the commentators are forever going on about her being number one but never having won a grand slam! SO WHAT!!!!
Rankings are achieved through consistency; over the season, she is the most consistent!!!
Go Dinara!
She does not claim that she is number 1 in the harsh manner. She is just too tired to listen so many people questioning her number 1 title so I think it is normal if she reply like that. Officially she is number 1 and she just said that she guess now the people cannot say why she got that number without slam title. It is about how to get that number and not the number 1 issue. She is just human and all of the tennis player, Serena Venus etc. They just do what we do if we are in the same situation as them. But the press always tried to highlight what they say and make a fun of it and make their words looks "booming" This is my opinion May be I am wrong
Dinara is an aggressive and crampy tennis player. Now she cramps herself into claiming to be #1 by four GS semifinals. If she thinks she deserves it, well, nobody can deny her the #1 for the moment, but she is definetly not a joy to watch, nor to hear.
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