Safin stumbles but Mathieu is fall guy in Russian revenge

Given their former president's propensity for bad timing at Davis Cup finals, one of the most worrying moments for Russia yesterday was when Boris Yeltsin clapped his hands to lead the applause with Marat Safin about to serve for the opening match against the French debutant, Paul-Henri Mathieu, at 5-2 in the fourth set.

Suddenly Safin had an attack of nerves. He hit a forehand wide at 30-15 and double-faulted on match point at 40-30. Mathieu accepted the invitation to prolong the duel, passing Safin with an impressive cross-court backhand and then breaking him by returning a second serve with an almost jaunty backhand drive down the line.

Mathieu then held serve for 4-5, and Jacques Chirac, the French president, who was seated beside Yeltsin, joined him in applauding the players as they returned to the court after the change of ends. Chirac was acting as if it was his birthday, which it was (his 70th), but the 20-year-old Mathieu was unable to make his day.

Although Safin stuttered, belting a forehand drive-volley long for 15-30, a drop-shot enabled him to recover and he finished the job with a service winner followed by his 19th ace on the second match point to win, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov has been saying for months that he hoped Safin would be up for the Davis Cup final to help him end his career on a note of triumph. Yesterday Safin fulfilled his part of the bargain but Kafelnikov played like a man who was ready to retire but had changed his mind. He gave a disappointing performance against Sebastien Grosjean, the French No 2, who beat him with embarrassing ease, 7-6, 6-3, 6-0, to level the tie at the end of the first day.

Kafelnikov and Safin are due to team up in the doubles today against Fabrice Santoro and Nicolas Escudé, and unless the Russians gel they will have difficulty preventing the French from retaining the trophy tomorrow.

At least yesterday Safin avoided the fate of his compatriot Alexander Volkov, who was barely able to keep the ball in court against Sweden's Stefan Edberg after Yeltsin's impromptu arrival in Moscow's Olympic Stadium with the score at 5-5 in the fifth set on Russia's first final in 1994. But Mathieu, in common with Jimmy Arias in 1984, Richard Fromberg in 1990 and Pete Sampras in 1991, was unable to make a winning start when thrust into a final for a Davis Cup baptism.

Mathieu had beaten Safin, the Russian No 1, in straight sets in the semi-finals of the Kremlin Cup on a medium-pace carpet court in Moscow in October. But this was the big-time, the best of five sets in a Davis Cup final, and France's decision to defend their crown on a slow indoor clay court in place of the faster surface on which Safin won his only title of the year a month ago did little to help Mathieu.

Given the occasion and his lack of experience, Mathieu gave a display which promised much for the future. But Safin, allowing for his foibles and his knack of playing brilliantly one moment and carelessly the next, was in control for three of the four sets. Mathieu exploded some breathtaking drives, particularly with his two-handed backhand, but Safin generally had had the edge, particularly on his serve, and his commitment led to two tumbles to the court while attempting to rescue points.

"You have to understand that I was nervous," he said of the concluding games. "It's the Davis Cup final, and I was playing the first match point in front of a crowd that is cheering for France.

"You think at 5-2 your match is over, basically. I was rushing a little bit too much on the first match point. I didn't want to let him attack the ball. I wanted to put it really deep. I wanted to finish quickly so I could get out of the court. I served too fast. There was no time between he first and second serve. It was a mistake."

Safin also admitted that he lost concentration in the second set. "After I won the first set I kind of slowed down," he said. "I couldn't find my game again until the third set. In the third and fourth sets I played really good tennis. To play on clay after a long season on hard courts, to be able to play a tough match against Mathieu, and in France, means I'm in good shape." He had words of encouragement for Mathieu. "He has a big future," Safin said. "He has unbelievable talent. I knew I could not let him control the match as he did when we played in Moscow."

Safin said at the outset that the match would be won by mental strength, but Mathieu insisted afterwards that he never allowed the pressure of the occasion to to dictate his play. "I was not nervous at all," he said. "Safin played better than me today. The reaction of the crowd, especially in the fourth set, made me more eager to come back into the match. I lost, but I think this loss will teach me a lot of things."

DAVIS CUP FINAL (Paris): M Safin (Rus) bt P-H Mathieu (Fr) 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-4; S Grosjean (Fr) bt Y Kafelnikov (Rus) 7-6 6-3 6-0. Scores tied 1-1. Today's doubles (1300 GMT): N Escudé and F Santoro v Y Kafelnikov and Safin. Tomorrow's reverse singles (1200): S Grosjean v Safin; Mathieu v Kafelnikov.