Safin remembered as gifted but erratic

By Gennady Fyodorov

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Marat Safin, widely regarded as one of the most gifted players of his generation, brought down the curtain on a chequered career when he bowed out to U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in the Paris Masters.

Safin's swansong in the second round Wednesday came against a player whose career resembled his own in many ways. Like the Argentine, Safin won his first major title at the U.S. Open at the same age, nine years ago.

Typically, the volatile Russian did not go quietly, criticising fellow former world number one Andre Agassi this week for revealing his past drug use in his autobiography.

"He feels guilty? So let him just give back his titles, money, his grand slams," Safin, 29, said of the American.

Unlike many of his contemporaries who numb the crowds with endless baseline rallies, the gifted Muscovite could never be accused of being boring, whether he was winning or losing.

He dazzled fans the world over with his artistry and antics, which included smashing rackets and dropping his shorts on court after conjuring up a spectacular winner.

Some will remember Safin, well-known for his lavish lifestyle and night-time escapades, for filling the players' box with a bevy of so-called "blondies" at the 2002 Australian Open.

However, many others, including Russian tennis guru Shamil Tarpishchev, felt that Safin wasted most of an enormous talent that could have won him a lot more than two grand slam crowns.