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Safina looking to the future

ESPN staff
October 7, 2011
A back injury has forced Dinara Safina to retire © Getty Images
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Dinara Safina has spoken of her desire to have a "normal life" following confirmation that she has taken the decision to retire from top-flight tennis.

The Russian was once one of the most dominant players on the circuit, having climbed to No. 1 in the world, but a back injury took its toll and five months after her latest outing - a three-set loss to Julia Goerges in Madrid - her brother Marat confirmed she had taken the decision to retire.

"Dinara has decided to end her career," Marat Safin said. "She has taken the decision relatively well. She considers it just to be the end of a period in her life. Everything is okay with her health. She feels good in everyday life, but she simply can't play tennis professionally any more."

Safina, speaking to ESPN, said: "I'm not missing it at all. If you live with this pain for a year and a half, it's not fun anymore. Whenever I start to think I'm going to have this back pain again, it's just frustrating. So for me, I just want to have a normal life."

Safina, a winner of 12 career titles, is leaving the door ajar for a possible return. She said: "If one day I would like to come back, I will start to practice, but I don't want to say when, what ... I just want to live day by day."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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