Mal's Picks
	Washington Former ATP Tour pro MaliVai Washington provides ESPN.com with in-depth analysis during the Australian Open. Washington, a tennis analyst for ESPN, reached the 1996 Wimbledon final.

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Marat Safin has a few things on his side heading into the semifinals. He's going into this match fresher than Tommy Haas after Wayne Ferreira retired in the quarterfinals. He has lost only one set so far in the championship. Also, he told me he's playing about to the form he had at the U.S. Open in 2000 when he won the title.

It's been a great championships for Tommy Haas. With his quarterfinal victory over Marcelo Rios, he has reached the semifinals of a major for the second time. But unfortunately he'll go down against Safin. Safin has gained my respect at this tournament. With that said, Haas won't roll over. It's his year to make his mark on the No. 1 spot and his chance to win his first Grand Slam. So expect a dogfight between Haas and Safin.

Safin can be mentally fragile when he's challenged out on the court -- if his opponent gets a break or Safin gets a bad call -- he can be vulnerable. You have to watch out for that. If he's mentally stable throughout the match he'll beat Haas.

If you look back on 2001, Safin really struggled in the Tennis Masters Series events with a lot of first-round losses, but at the end of the year at the U.S. Open he was able to put his game back together. As defending champ, he reached the semifinals in New York.

Safin has learned to rise to the occasion when the majors come around. That's not something taught, it's something you learn along the way. That is an asset that will serve him well in his career -- rising to the occasion when the pressure is on. It's the difference between great players and really good players.
Pick: Safin