One of the most pulsating battles in Australian Open history ended with a poignant post-match embrace.
Two-time Australian Open champion Jim Courier has played and commented on some of the most riveting matches in Melbourne history.
Courier: Novak Capable of 5-Year Run At No. 1
The Hall of Famer has conducted on-court interviews with adrenaline-fueled players after Australian Open epics.
The former world No. 1, who celebrates his 14th year as an Australian Open television analyst this month, will be covering the tournament for both Tennis Channel and Australia's Nine Network, which assumes domestic broadcast rights for the first time.
We asked Courier to name his most poignant post-match Australian Open interview.
He cited Marat Safin's classic 2005 semifinal conquest of reigning champion Roger Federer and this chat that followed as most memorable.
"My first year doing it, this is 2005, Safin had that amazing come-from-behind win over Federer in the semifinals where he saved match points, went on to win it deep in the fifth, ended up beating Hewitt in the final," Courier told Tennis Now. "I talked to him right after that match. I had some questions prepared.
"We got to a place where he was sort of overwhelmed with the moment. He just blanked. I asked him a question, and he froze. So I asked him, Do you need a hug, to sort of break the ice. We gave a hug to each other on the court.
"So that was for me a guy who I still don't feel like I know exactly what I'm doing out there, but I have a lot more experience now. Then I had no confidence, no experience. That was a panic moment for me. It turned out to be a nice moment between a guy I played against. So that was a special one."
A special moment capped a special match.
It began as a birthday rematch and concluded as a career rebirth.
Safin celebrated his 25th birthday in sensational style, saving a match point to topple top-seeded Federer, 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 9-7 in an epic encounter that was a rematch of the 2004 final.
The fourth-seeded Safin fought off a match point at 5-6 in the fourth-set tiebreak igniting a rally to defeat Federer for just the second time in their eight career clashes.
The upset left an exhausted and elated Safin searching for words to describe his emotions.
"To be honest, it's difficult to tell the people what I'm feeling right now," Safin said. "I think we played the best we could and I can't give much more than that."
Photo credit: Getty