Round 3 Wimbledon 2007

Pictures from yesterday's match.. 16 46 67(4) Safin - Federer.

















Marat played against Roger Federer in the 3rd round of Wimbledon. Unfortunatly Marat lost, with 16 46 67(4). It's now 2-8 head-to-head for Federer.


Interview Marat Safin after the match:

Q. You talked yesterday about playing this match with nothing to lose, and yet it looked like until the third set, and when you really let the ball fly, you just played freely. It didn't look like you were playing with nothing to lose until then.
MARAT SAFIN: No, well, the problem was that I never played it's my first time I've played on Centre Court since many years, so I kind of it was a strange feeling for me, so it took me about two sets to get used to it.
The ball is a little bit sliding a little bit more than other courts, and of course the distance between the court is much bigger. So this was my problem. I couldn't get used to it, and the wind was into the wind of course I'm not taking any credit away from Roger, but still, it was a difficult sensation to get used to because it was a lot of wind, and the circumstances was tough for me to be in my game.
Q. On that crazy point at the end of the second set where the ball seemed to die in front of you as you tried to hit an inside out forehand, what happened there?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, tough conditions. It was a lucky shot, and but he made it. It also counts.
Q. Did you misjudge where it was going to bounce?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, it's kind of it was going away, then it was staying, so it was kind of difficult because it was supposed to fly out, and then it just bounced it didn't really bounce at all. So it's tough for me.
Q. In the tiebreak, you played a great tiebreak, almost no balls were coming back, and then that very casual volley at a key point. Did you play that one just too casually?
MARAT SAFIN: No, it just was a lot of spin and then just I misjudged the power that was going, actually. I thought it was going a little bit faster than was actually going, the ball, so just all of a sudden it catch me by surprise.
Q. If you had played the first set the way you played the third one
MARAT SAFIN: It would have been a different story.
Q. could it have been a different set, match?
MARAT SAFIN: Big time, because he was a little bit uptight, also, at the beginning of the first set. And then when he broke me he started to have more confidence and it was easy for him. But the first set if it were 7 6, it would be closer or a different match for sure.
Q. Do you think anyone can beat him this year?
MARAT SAFIN: I don't see anybody who can hurt him because everybody knows how to play against him but they don't have enough weapons to beat him, unfortunately.
Q. Could you tell that he was uptight with you at the beginning?
MARAT SAFIN: I could feel at first, the first game he didn't serve that well, missed a couple of easy shots, so he was also a little bit nervous because he didn't know with what I'm going to come up. Then when he broke me. It was a completely different game.
Q. How inspired were you to play against Roger? I mean, you've had some fantastic matches in the past. Is it more fun to play a match like that today?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, it's a little bit well, for me it's anyway great because just to see it's another opportunity for me to see that actually I can still play at some great level, and for me it's a challenge and for me it's another push to bring back my game.
Even lose or win this match, it's just a different approach, and I can see that I still have a lot of tennis, and I need to I know what I have to do a little bit to improve my game. So kind of it was a help actually. Even though this court was pretty easy, it's a huge help for me.
Q. Where are you in terms of your relationship with grass?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, I think it's okay. My game is pretty suitable for the grass, but you need to have enough confidence and enough matches to play against players like him. Not the first and second round where he's good and you're not really used to the grass and then maybe closer to quarterfinals, semifinals, it's a different game.
Q. Let me move to your best surface, hard court. How many US Open Series tournaments do you plan on playing?
MARAT SAFIN: All of them. Well, which ones?
Q. There are six tournaments in the US Open Series leading up to the US Open.
MARAT SAFIN: Well, this year is tough. I don't even know how it works, the points, and then it's like if you make something, you win, you have double prize money, so it's really I cannot get it. It's the second, third year that I'm making it and it's still too complicated to understand.
Q. You'll still be in Cincinnati, Canada. Anywhere else?
MARAT SAFIN: LA.
Q. Do you wish that you'd come to this understanding of grass earlier in your career?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, I can't complain about my career anyhow, because let's put it this way: If you would have seen me in 1995, 1996, you would really understand what actually what became from me, because it's really for you guys who started to meet me in 1998 where I started to make my first money and I started to win some matches.
If you would have seen me in 1996, then you would have really surprised even that I'm still playing that I'm playing tennis.
Q. But in 1992 here, Hewitt won.
MARAT SAFIN: In 2002.
Q. Yeah, sorry. That would have been a year maybe you would have had a good chance if you were happier on grass?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, I had a chance 2001 when Ivanisevic won. He won three sets pretty tough: 7 6, 7 5, 3 6 7 6, and I think it was my best year, quarterfinals, my best year. I was playing pretty well, and I think I would have Henman in the semifinals, which is a good draw.
Q. Will you ever be a top ten player again?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, why not? I still have a few years left. Why not? If I'm not, then I'm not. I'm still playing because I still believe that I can get there, anyhow, and it doesn't matter when.
Q. You still don't like Wimbledon; maybe you said it's very expensive in London.
MARAT SAFIN: Well, the most expensive city is Moscow, first of all. It's not like I
dislike because everybody tries to pick on me and tries to put the words in my mouth because I said something that I don't like London. I love London, first of all. Wimbledon is a pretty good facility. It's okay.
So then I have my few things about the food, but it doesn't really matter. I don't make a big deal out of it, what I'm saying. But of course the press wants to start the sensation, Safin said and complained, and who cares about this.
But for sure there are people that like it. That's why I'm in this situation and that's why you're asking me this question.

Round 2 Wimbledon 2007

Pics from match: Safin - Qureshi.







Marat won from Qureshi with 64 62 76(4). It was a great win and finally after some time: 2 wins in a row! We should be proud of him!

Interview after match:

Q. Grass has historically not been your best surface, but you have played Roger very tough on grass, and you beat him before. Nobody quite knows which Marat Safin will be there to play Federer in the next round.
MARAT SAFIN: For me it's another opportunity to play a great match. First of all, for me it's a huge challenge. Centre Court, play against Federer. He's playing pretty well. He's playing great tennis. If I want to have a chance at least to be close to beat him, I have of course to put up my best game, go for it. Also I have nothing to lose because he's the favorite here. He's playing pretty good tennis on grass. It's his best surface, I guess. But also, like I said, I have nothing to lose. I need to play my tennis, stay focused, take my chances. For sure there are going to be. Just wait and see. Of course, why not? Like I said, it's a challenge. Why not?
Q. When you were serving at 2 3 in the third set today, up 40 15, he hit a ball that was clearly long. The baselines woman failed to call it out, and the umpire, refused your request to overrule. Do you think this Hawk Eye system is any more accurate than these lines people?
MARAT SAFIN: Linesmen are not Hawk Eye. All the human beings are making mistakes, and it's okay.
Q. Do you think Hawk Eye is accurate?
MARAT SAFIN: Hawk Eye is the best thing we can have right now.
Q. Do you think it's accurate?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, yeah.
Q. You complained about the prices of the food at Wimbledon. What about the standard of the food that players are served? Should they be given more international cuisine?
MARAT SAFIN: Compared to the prices, for a plate of pasta, it's costing around £10, right? For £10, which is $20, you can have a great pasta at Cipriani in New York.
Q. What is the quality like?
MARAT SAFIN: Definitely not the Cipriani of New York. Everybody knows this restaurant. I think it's one of the best restaurants in New York. Also in Moscow, one of the most expensive, and we have a better pasta for 20 bucks, that's for sure.
Q. You mentioned it's important for you to keep your focus against Federer. Is that a struggle for you in every match, keeping focus?
MARAT SAFIN: It's kind of complicated sometimes when I'm playing well because sometimes you start to have your fears because you're a little bit under pressure sometimes, you're not playing well. Also you're too tight. Of course, it's difficult to move, it's difficult to hold the concentration balance. You start to panic. When you try to loosen up, you loosen up too much. It's kind of difficult to find golden point. Unfortunately been like this for already quite long time. So hopefully look like I played pretty well these last two matches. To play against Federer, of course it will be easy to keep the focus, that's for sure.
Q. Do you bring your own sandwiches?
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, sure. No, of course not. Of course, I have to deal with that. A lot of players, they have to deal with that. Of course, we can have better quality, that's for sure.
Q. Can you talk about your opponent today? How do you think he played?
MARAT SAFIN: I never saw the guy. I never saw him play. A lot of people, they said that he's pretty tough, serves well, good volleys, good hands, very dangerous player. I saw they were right. All of them were right. He beat Gasquet in Halle. He's a great player. He knows how to play.
Q. You mentioned after your first match you weren't very confident. What degree of confidence do you need going into a match against Federer?
MARAT SAFIN: All of it. You need have all of it if you want to compete on the same level as him. You have to bring up your best game. But, of course, the first match is always tough because you kind of nervous, it's a grass court, it's windy, then it's raining, it's stopping, it's raining, it's stopping. All these factors, of course it's pretty tough for the first match to play great tennis and be as confident as you can be. But looks today like I played well, moved quite well. Looking forward for the match.
Q. Where is your level of confidence now?
MARAT SAFIN: There. We'll see tomorrow (smiling).
Q. What do you like most about Wimbledon and what do you dislike most about Wimbledon, apart from the prices?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, of course, what I like is the tradition. What I like is they improved a lot of site. Great facilities for the players to be inside. I mean, like the garden upstairs. The restaurant area, plenty of space. Pretty comfortable. You can go to Aorangi through the tunnel. You don't have to go with all the people. Great locker rooms. Great showers. No, showers is really important. If you see them, you understand what I'm talking about.
Q. And dislike?
MARAT SAFIN: And dislike? Like I said, a little bit the quality of the food and, of course, the prices. I mean, like it's not enough an extra £5 doesn't hurt anybody. To eat strawberries and have a cup of coffee at least, and, of course, the same day is the same thing: chicken, pasta. They could have done better for the prices.
Q. You faced a lot of breakpoints in these first two matches, but you've also defended almost every one of them. Are you concerned you're facing so many breakpoints or how feeling good you defended so many of them?
MARAT SAFIN: Both ways. Well, Federer also, he is even the best player in the world, he has also has these Love 30 things, 15 40, also defends them pretty well. It's not to be scared of defending them. It's just to face them and win them because, anyway, anybody can have chance against you and anybody can get there. With two lucky shots, with one like two lucky shots, that's it, you're down 15 40 easy in a matter of seconds (snapping fingers). All of a sudden, you find yourself in not a really pleasant position. You need to face, you need to face in the right way, know what you're doing, how you're going to play. To make a long story short, just be careful. It's just a breakpoint. You didn't lose the game yet.

Video-interview: http://wimbledon.mediazone.com/other/interviews.html --> scroll down a bit and search under Thursday 28th of June and click on: "Safin awaits Federer".

Pictures of Round 1 Wimbledon 2007 & Interview

M. Safin - 26 JuneTuesday, 26 June, 2007

Marat Safin (RUS)[26] beat Rik De voest (RSA) 7-6(7-5), 6-4, 7-5

Q. How do you think you played today?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, for the conditions, first match at Wimbledon is pretty tough to play well, so kind of nervous at the beginning, and a difficult match with the guy I played. It was okay the first match, I think.
Q. You're up against Qureshi next from Pakistan. Do you know much about this guy?
MARAT SAFIN: Neither. I don't even know how he looks unfortunately. I guess he's playing pretty good tennis if he passed the quallie, he qualified, he won the three set match today. So I guess tough opponent second round. We'll see how it's going to be.
Q. Are you going to have your spies out doing some research on this guy?
MARAT SAFIN: Not really, not really (smiling). We'll see tomorrow.
Q. Is there anything that you feel you need to practice on after today's game? Is there anything you thought was missing from the way you played?
MARAT SAFIN: Not really. I played another match, and just a little bit of confidence. Everything is up to the confidence. Even if you're playing bad, you win a couple of matches, then you might have a surprise and start to play well and you start to make some results. I'll play the next match, and I face Federer in the third round. That's my goal, and then see how it's going to go. First of all, let's play tomorrow, see how it's hopefully everything will end up in a nice way, and then it's going to be the next match. Not really looking too far.
Q. Do you have the confidence at the moment?
MARAT SAFIN: No, I don't.
Q. You have no confidence at the moment?
MARAT SAFIN: I have no confidence at the moment.
Q. How come? What's wrong with your confidence?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, because I'm not winning a lot of matches lately, because I've been struggling for the past couple of months, more than a couple of months. So how are you going to build up the confidence? The confidence comes with winning matches and playing a lot of semifinals, finals. The last time I played the semifinal was in March, so that's where my confidence has left me.
Q. How did you feel when your confidence was at your lowest?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, just try to make small goals and try to play try to pick up any moments, any matches, and then whenever I have a big time breakthrough, then that's what counts. But you need to pick up all the small matches and play set by set, match by match and game by game.
Q. You said you've got Federer in the third round if you get past Qureshi. You've beaten him before at the Australian Open.
MARAT SAFIN: Yeah, I need to play my next match against Qureshi so let's look at this one first. My position shouldn't be looking any farther than my second round match.
Q. Do you think people worry too much about Federer, get too nervous when they play him, give him too much respect?
MARAT SAFIN: I don't really think about Federer. Any other players don't really, really care, and why should I care about them?

Pictures of the match:

Wimbledon ROUND 1

Yes girls (and boys..), the mother of all tournaments is going to start this Monday! Marat is seeded 26th and will play Rik De Voest (South-Africa, a qualifier) in the first round. Marat will most likely play this match on Monday, because he's in the same part of the draw as the former Wimbledon Champion, Federer.

Marat has never met De Voest on a tournament before. Rik De Voest is ranked 126 in the world an his highest ranking was 101 in August, 2006. Of course Marat should be able to beat this guy, but no one knows it with Marat!

Marat won with 75(5) 64 75!!! Yeah! Go Marat:)!!!




--> check out World Time Clock for times (or http://www.timeanddate.com/ )!

For the draw: http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/scores/draws/ms/index.html

Then another tiny little thing.. The Fed Express (Federer) will be waiting for Marat in round 3! But again, you never know with Marat! He could even beat this guy but could also lose in the first or second round.. But all hopes are on Marat, let's pray!

Preview:

No stopping Fed Express
June 23, 2007 - 4:03PM

Former US Open and Australian Open winner Marat Safin will be waiting to ambush him in the third round but Roger Federer is still regarded by his peers as a runaway favourite to claim a fifth straight Wimbledon title on July 8.
Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkman, who was swept aside by Federer in last year's semi-final, believes the Swiss maestro still has too many weapons in his grass-court armoury for anyone to knock him off his throne this year.
"Roger has been so dominant the last couple of years, at the moment I'm not sure who is the one to do it," the 35-year-old admitted.
"Obviously we all need a little help in that he does not play at his best because when he is playing his best tennis he is unbeatable on grass."
After the disappointment of his French Open defeat by Rafael Nadal, Federer opted to skip his usual warm-up tournament at Halle in Germany and there have been suggestions that he will not be going into this year's Championships in the best frame of mind.
"He's had a tougher year than normal," acknowledged Bjorkman.
"He's had a few let downs this year, obviously it gives all the players a little extra confidence that he can be beaten."
But the Swede balances that hope with an acceptance that Federer is probably a greater talent than Pete Sampras, Boris Becker or any of the other legends he has faced in his long career.
"He plays with such variety and speed," he said. "You know you have to work really hard to win the games. In my semi-final last year it was not about winning, unfortunately it was about fighting for my game because of the way he played.
"I haven't had that feeling against anyone else I have played before. You always felt you could stay with them even though they were fantastic players.
"I think he has the whole package. Pete (Sampras) was an unbelievable player and a great champion but you still felt you could hold a couple of service games because he was not returning unbelievably well all of the time.
"With Roger, it's different because he is so good all the time so if you're a little off he will put pressure on you straightaway in your service games and at the same time is very solid in his own."
Federer should have no trouble ensuring that Russia's Teimuraz Gabashvili becomes his 29th consecutive victim on the lawns of the All England club when he plays his first round match on Monday.
But he faces a potentially difficult encounter in the third round, where he could come up against the erratic but hugely-talented Safin.

Wimbledon 2007

Tournament Info!
Place: London, England
Date: June 25 - July 8, 2007
Draw Size: 128
Surface: Grass
Prize Money: £5,022,560
Tournament Director: Christopher J. Gorringe
Ticket Hotline:(44) 208 946 2244
Website: http://secure-us.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/b?ci=us-atpclick&cg=tp&tu=http://www.wimbledon.org/
ATP London Hotel Partners:Crowne Plaza London St. James51 Buckingham Gate

Prize Money: Round/Points/Money
W 1000 £700,000
F 700 £350,000
SF 450 £175,000
QF 250 £88,550
R16 150 £47,250
R32 75 £27,050
R64 35 £16,325
R128 5 £10,000

You can listen radio from Centre Court and Court 1 & 2 for free. Click on this link: http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/interactive/radio/index.html and find out more.
You can also watch all the matches live (for money) on the internet. Click on this link: http://wimbledon.mediazone.com/other/index.html and find out more.

TV-Schedule: http://aeltc.wimbledon.org/en_GB/about/tvschedule/index.html

Schedule of play (which will be announced on Sunday, for Monday): http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/scores/schedule/index.html
Live-scoreboard: http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/scores/index.html or http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/ibmrealtime/scoreboard.html
Point-tracker: http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/pointtracker/index.html

Roger Federer is the King of Grass for over four years now! He has won the title for 4 years in a row.. Somebody has to stop that! What about Marat Safin?!

GOOD LUCK MARATIK!

The Boodles Challenge

Marat is going to play on The Boodles next. This is his last tournament before Wimbledon, so his last preperation (with real matches) on grass. Let's hope the best and give him the best support we have ever given!

Marat played Fernando Verdasco and he lost with 64 36 4-10 (big tiebreak). I heard he played good but just was unlucky in the last few shots. He will now keep on practising and may play some exhibitions.

Marat played Gael Monfils for a exhibition yesterday but lost with 46. He did lead in the beginning with 2-0 but couldn't hold his serve unfortunatly! This was a good preperation for Wimbledon, so let's hope Marat can come far over there:)!

Draw:

D. NALBANDIAN
VS
N. KIEFER

E. KOROLEV
VS
I. ANDREEV

R. SODERLING
VS
N. MASSU

F. VERDASCO
VS
M. SAFIN

Official website: http://www.theboodles.com/
For the entire playerslist: http://www.theboodles.com/content/players.php
For the Order of Play (OOP): http://www.theboodles.com/pdf/order_of_play.pdf?id=9134 (this is where it's going to be, when the OOP is announced)

I have also made a video about Marat. It's called "The World's Greatest, Marat Safin", you can click on it (if you want to watch it) in the right, scroll down a bit and there it is. The video will start on top of this page! Hope you like it, it's my first video I have ever made!

Pics of Round 3

67(3) 67(4)

Pics of Round 2

Pics from round 2 (yesterday's part) and pics of one of the trainingsesion!

R3 Singles and R2 Doubles

For the Artios Championships (singles) is Marat seeded 8, because of injuries (withdrawals) from Ancic and Murray.
For the Arois Championships (doubles) is Marat not seeded, he got in with a wildcard (WC) and will play with Alex Bogdanovic.

Draw (singles): Marat will meet either Grosjean or Berrer. For the full draw: http://www.artoischampionships.com/5/scripts/TrackIt.asp?file=http://www.atptennis.atponline.net/posting/2007/311/MDS.pdf
Draw (doubles): Marat will play Chris Haggard/Hyung-Taik Lee in the doubles. For the full draw: http://www.artoischampionships.com/5/scripts/TrackIt.asp?file=http://www.atptennis.com/posting/2007/311/MDD.pdf

Singles: Marat lost to the big server Ivo Karlovic (22 aces, only lost 7 points on 1st service, 1st service 76%) with 67(3) 67(4).
Doubles: Marat and Alex lost to Jaroslav Levensky and David Skoch (both CZE) with 57 46.

Order of Play (OOP): http://www.artoischampionships.com/1/draws/orderofplay_thurs.asp

My thoughts on this
Although he lost today (Thursday), I think he played well to this big server (I didn't see the match though). There is not much you can do except waiting for a second serve. It's really hard to play to someone like that, especially on grass which is a faster surface as clay. To play on grass is even harder for tall people like Marat himself. The ball won't bounce that high as it does on for example clay. That's why it's much easier to play on clay for taller guys and the other way around on grass.

I personally think Marat was just unlucky today (although he did won from Grosjean). The weather was bad and Marat had to be focused on his 2nd round match first. It just was all in his mind. I mean, it's tough if you think about it. 2 and a bit matches on one single day with constantly rain delay is pretty hard for you mentally and phisically. To get ready for a match or a match after rain delay. You have to pull that buton every time. That must be hard. But let's just face it. Marat lost. Well, we know about that and there's not much we can do about it. I just really want to say here that we just have to be postive and optimistic cause without us, I don't think he can get there where he wants to get. So keep being postitive and supportive. There is nothing we can do more than support him. We're not the ones who have to do the job every match. Let's bring him our part.

Good luck my beautiful man!

Marat at the Muz TV Event

The Artois Championships

Place: London, England
Date: June 11-17, 2007
Draw Size: 56
Surface: Grass
Prize Money: €680,250
Tournament Director: Ian Wight
Ticket Hotline:(44) 207 894 5005
Website: www.artoischampionships.com
Hotels:www.51-buckinghamgate.com www.london.crowneplaza.com

Result/Points/Prizemoney
W 225 €80,500
F 155 €47,400
SF 100 €27,850
QF 55 €16,400
R16 20 €9,650
R32 10 €5,670
R56 0 €3,335

Entrylist:
Nadal, Rafael ESP 2
Roddick, Andy USA 3
Djokovic, Novak SRB 5
Gonzalez, Fernando CHI 6
Ljubicic, Ivan CRO 8
Murray, Andy GBR 10
Ancic, Mario CRO 14
Hewitt, Lleyton AUS 20
Tursunov, Dmitry RUS 24
Safin, Marat RUS 26
Stepanek, Radek CZE 29
Fish, Mardy USA 31
Malisse, Xavier BEL 32
Verdasco, Fernando ESP 34
Benneteau, Julien FRA 36
Bjorkman, Jonas SWE 40
Mathieu, Paul-Henri FRA 42
Monfils, Gael FRA 45
Ginepri, Robby USA 46
Mirnyi, Max BLR 47
Henman, Tim GBR 50
Clement, Arnaud FRA 51
Grosjean, Sebastien FRA 58
Del Potro, Juan Martin ARG 63
Johansson, Thomas SWE 67
Delic, Amer USA 72
Serra, Florent FRA 74
Lopez, Feliciano ESP 75
Hernandez, Oscar ESP 77
Karlovic, Ivo CRO 78
Roitman, Sergio ARG 79
Pless, Kristian DEN 81
Llodra, Michael FRA 82
Kendrick, Robert USA 83
Gulbis, Ernests LAT 85
Srichaphan, Paradorn THA 86
Tipsarevic, Janko SRB 87
Hernych, Jan CZE 90
Kunitsyn, Igor RUS 91
Peya, Alexander AUT 92
Seppi, Andreas ITA 94
Udomchoke, Danai THA 95
Bolelli, Simone ITA 96
Gimelstob, Justin USA 127

Wild Cards
Andreev, Igor RUS
Cilic, Marin CRO

Marat played here twice. He reached the Quarters in 2000 and R16 in 2001.

At the moment Marat is in Moscow practising and preparing for Queen's. He will go to London soon.

Mario Ancic withdrew from Queen's because of injury, which means Marat is now number 9. With only one other witdraw, Marat will be seeded and he might have a Bye.

Article about Marat joining the players field:

Safin Joins Elite Field As Artois Entry List Revealed
FFormer World No.1 and two-time Grand Slam title winner Marat Safin has joined the list of star names set to contest the 2007 Artois Championships at the Queen’s Club in London.Safin, who won the US Open in 2000 and the Australian Open two years ago, joins World No.2 Rafael Nadal, three-time winner Andy Roddick, defending champion Lleyton Hewitt and British No.1 Andy Murray.
“The Artois Championships in 2005 was only my second ATP event and it was great to win my first ATP level match,” said Murray. “It’s a great tournament.”
Top Ten players Novak Djokovic, Fernando Gonzalez and Ivan Ljubicic are also on the official Entry List, which was announced today.It means that six of the current Top Ten will compete on the grass at the Artois Championships, 11-17 June.“We are delighted to add Marat to an already strong field,” said Tournament Director, Ian Wight.British favourite Tim Henman – a semifinalist last year, former finalist Sebastien Grosjean and exciting Frenchman Gael Monfils are also entered.The doubles draw will feature the Bryan Brothers – Mike and Bob, and Andy Murray’s brother, Jamie.The full singles entry list is attached.For the first time at an ATP event in the UK, the electronic line-calling system ‘Hawk-Eye’ will be in operation at the Artois Championships.Giant Screens will be installed at opposite ends of the centre court showing replays of line-calls ‘challenged’ by players. The technology has been greeted with huge acclaim among players, spectators and the media.More fans than ever before will be able to enjoy the Artois Championships with the Centre Court capacity increasing by 400 seats to 6,858.