Paris - Russian former world number one Marat Safin has bid farewell to the game of tennis after falling to defeat against Juan Martin Del Potro in the second round of the ATP Paris Masters.
The talented but temperamental 29-year-old star had already announced his retirement from the sport and bowed out before an adoring French public that had previously seen him triumph in the tournament on three occasions.
"I'll go with the flow," Safin said when asked about his future after his 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 defeat on Wednesday.
"Now I have no schedule, no practices, no nothing. I belong to myself.
"What will I miss? Being out on the court and competing. But at the same time it's a tough sport. It's very cruel.
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"I definitely won't miss the injuries and the pressure. The pressure that you are going through continuously throughout all these years. Stress 24/7. This is what I hated.
"In soccer or hockey or basketball you sign a contract and no matter how you play, you make your money.
"In tennis you can go from top 10 to 150. It's a very tough living."
Once the sport's leading man, injury and ebbing motivation have reduced Safin to the role of intriguing support act in recent years but he has left an indelible mark on the men's game.
His often-volatile 12-year career peaked with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 over Pete Sampras in the 2000 US Open final, taking his first Grand Slam crown two months before ascending to the top of the rankings throne.
Safin played his first Slam at the 1998 French Open and won his first ATP title at Boston in 1999.
He added the Australian Open, the last of 15 career crowns, to his haul at the third attempt in 2005 after having lost the 2002 and 2004 finals.
But whether it was smashing more than 700 racquets or the dreams of rivals, Safin was always entertaining - mercurial at times, witty, grumpy and typically a formidable big server who quit the game as he played it, on his own terms.
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