Life after tennis waiting for swansong Safin

Russian former world number one Marat Safin is looking forward to life after tennis when he retires from the professional tour at the end of the year.

The 29-year-old twice grand slam champion, who is on a farewell sweep of the events he has graced since he turned professional in 1997, lost in the first round of the Madrid Open on Monday to Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

"They can remember me how they want," Safin, the US Open champion in 2000 and winner of the Australian Open title in 2005, told a news conference.

"I don't care. I'm not really thinking about it all day."

Safin said he had not eased back on the regime he had followed during his decade at the top of the sport even though it was his final year.

"That's our job for 10 years. Some great moments, some bad moments. Sometimes we can get out and have some fun but most of the time you have to be focused on tennis.

"Life is waiting for me after," he added with a smile.