Safin ends career with Paris Masters defeat

By Patrick Vignal

PARIS (Reuters) - Former world number one Marat Safin ended his playing career with a 6-4 5-7 6-4 defeat by U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Porto at the Paris Masters on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old Russian, who had saved three match points to squeeze past French qualifier Thierry Ascione in the first round of his final tournament on Monday, fought bravely against the Argentine world number five.

"I knew there were not many chances I would beat him but I played pretty well, had pretty close calls," said Safin, who was warmly cheered on by the crowd at the Bercy hall and greeted with rounds of the Mexican wave.

Showing glimpses of his old form, Safin, who has not won a title since the 2005 Australian Open, challenged Del Porto by taking a tight second set.

Safin, who held the number one spot for several weeks in 2000 and 2001 but has dropped out of the top 50, was broken in the third game of the decisive set and his opponent then stayed in control.

The Russian, who won the Paris event three times, saved a match point at 5-3 down with a forehand winner but Del Potro then served for the match, sealing victory with an ace.

"This is where it all started and this where it finishes," said Safin, who burst into the limelight as a teenage qualifier at the 1998 French Open, posting wins over Andre Agassi and Gustavo Kuerten. "There was no better place to do this."