Volatile Russian Marat Safin has decided to play in the Thailand Open next week instead of for his country in their Davis Cup semi-final against Argentina.
The former world No. 1 said that going to Buenos Aires for this weekend’s tie and then to Bangkok on Monday would be too much and his priority right now was improving his world ranking. He is currently ranked 38.
“Marat will not be going to Argentina for Davis Cup,” said a statement on the 28-year-old’s Web site.
“He needs to keep getting points before the end of the year and he felt the trip from Buenos Aires to Bangkok would be very long and tiring and could make it difficult for him to play well in Bangkok in order to get points,” the statement said.
“He talked to [Russian captain] Shamil Tarpischev and asked to be released from the team for Davis Cup which Tarpischev agreed to,” it said.
“Marat’s thoughts will be with the Russian team and he wishes them all the best of luck and to play well and win,” the statement said.
Russia are already without Mikhail Youzhny due to illness with the squad now comprising Nikolay Davydenko, Igor Andreev and Dmitry Tursunov.
Tarpishchev had earlier named Igor Kunitsyn as a reserve.
The US$576,000 Thailand Open is headlined by Australian Open champion and world No. 3 Novak Djokovic.
Safin, who helped Russia to Davis Cup victories in 2002 and 2006, has won US$645,682 in prize money so far this season.
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