Marat Safin breathed a huge sigh of relief after beating Lleyton Hewitt to win the Australian Open on Sunday and erase years of self-doubt that he might never win another Grand Slam title.
The 25-year-old, who won the U.S. Open in 2000, lost in the final at Melbourne Park in 2002 and 2004 but made it third time lucky as he rallied to beat Hewitt 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
His muted celebration at the end said it all.
"Today it was a relief for me," he said. "Two Grand Sslams, it's already something. One Grand Slam you can win by mistake, like I did in 2000.
"This one, I worked really hard for that. It was more a working Grand Slam. It was a relief."
Crippled by nerves and memories of his two previous final defeats, Safin was a shadow of the player who had beat world number one Roger Federer in the semi-finals as he lost the first set in just 23 minutes.
As the match wore on, however, he found his game, taking the second set and recovering from 4-1 down in the third to seal his second grand slam title and leave Australia still looking for a first men's champion since 1976.
"When you lose the first set 6-1, you start to think, 'this is not my day. The way I'm playing is ridiculous,'" he said.
"In the first set, I didn't believe I could win," said Safin, who was beaten in the 2002 and 2004 Australian Open finals. "I thought 'it's going to happen again' and it's hard to really believe I did win."
After a slow start Safin suddenly seized control of the match late in the third set. He reeled off five games in a row to take a two sets to one lead then broke early in the fourth and held his remaining service games to seal victory.
"You saw the first set, it wasn't really tennis," he said. "He started really well, he wasn't as nervous as I was because I was thinking of the two finals I played and wasn't successful.
"I was nervous and I couldn't play tennis. You really have to deal with the pressure because normally it never happens but when you come to the final you are so tight because you want to win.
"I tried to play some tennis but I couldn't. He has a huge experience, he's won two Grand Slam titles, he's won 24 titles, he's a great player and he deals with pressure."
"It starts to eat you up inside. But then you start to be a little more selfish and try to find a way out of there. And I found it. I was much happier (to win) than in 2000, that's for sure."
Those who saw Safin demolish Pete Sampras in the U.S. Open final in 2000 would not have believed it would take Safin more than four years to win another Grand Slam title.
OWN ABILITY
But despite an abundance of talent, the Russian struggled to believe in his own ability.
"It's a little bit difficult because once you have bad losses, people start to speak and you listen," he said.
"The rumours, once they get into your head, it's difficult to accept and you really start to believe that maybe it's who I am - I have a talent, I'm a good player, but not good enough to be where I want to be."
His defeat to Thomas Johansson in the 2002 Australian Open final left him feeling that he would never experience another Grand Slam triumph.
"I couldn't believe -- I didn't believe," he said. "I agreed that I'm good enough as what I am, but definitely not good enough to win Grand Slams."
Teaming up with Peter Lundgren, who coached former world number one Marcelo Rios and the current occupier, Federer, was the key to his rehabilitation, Safin said.
"He makes me believe that I can be a good player and I don't have so much doubt about myself," Safin said.
"He understood who I am and I understood what he wants from me. It took us four or five months before the results came. But then once they came, they have continued to come."
Safin said he was getting a taste for Grand Slam titles.
"It's a huge win. For your ego, for your career, for your portfolio, to win the Australian Open.
"I would love to win a couple more. I think I have a chance if I continue this way. If I have the opportunity to become number one, I would love to achieve it. But I want concentrate a little bit more on the Grand Slams."
TRIBUTE TO HEWITT
Safin also paid a glowing tribute to tenacious Hewitt after wearing the third seed down in front of his home fans.
"Congratulations Lleyton, you had a brilliant two weeks," Safin said after receiving the winner's trophy from Australian great Ken Rosewall.
"You are such a great fighter and you have an amazing talent that God gave you to fight until the end."
Hewitt, who rode a wave of patriotism fuelled by his never-say-die attitude to reach his first Australian Open final, was gracious in defeat, saying Safin deserved to win because he had beaten world number one Roger Federer in the semi-finals.
"I'd like to congratulate Marat on a hell of a tournament. He's one of the best players in the world," Hewitt said.
"He had a great finish to last year and knocked off the guy who's been nearly impossible to beat (Federer) so he thoroughly deserved it.
"I'd never made it past the round of 16 here before...but I'll try and go one step further next year."
