Safina Didn't Have 'It' for No. 1 Spot

The pain is over. The anguish, the torture, the pressure, the agony.

When Dinara Safina took the No. 1 ranking in women's tennis in April, she said it was her childhood dream. She also apologized for it, which was our first warning.

But now, finally, she has lost the ranking. Serena Williams, after her 6-3, 6-2 victory over Russian Ekaterina Makarova in the second round of the China Open Tuesday, will move to No. 1 next week. It's a much better fit for everyone.

Safina drops to No. 2 after the most embarrassing performance of her reign. Well, one of the most. She lost Monday to Zhang Shuai, the 226th-ranked player, the lowest ranked woman ever to beat a No. 1.

"I would like to take some break now," Safina said. "I'm very upset with myself."

Her run has been full of statistical worst-firsts. She might well be the worst No. 1 of all time.

The tennis world watched her dissolve the past few months under the pressure of being No. 1. But it was only the expectations that go with that ranking that made her a failure.

Safina made the most of herself. The thing is, the most for Safina should have been lower than No. 1.

When she came up on tour, she was not in shape and had a bad temper. It seemed to be in the genes, as her brother, former No. 1 Marat Safin, also had problems with mental control.

It's amazing how different brother and sister can be. Safin, who is retiring at the end of this year, never had the mentality of a champion, but did have the game and confidence. He didn't have it in his heart to work hard, when there were mountains to climb, girlfriends to party with. Had he committed fully, he never would have lasted. His temper was based on a guy who knew he should be great, and couldn't accept the times when he wasn't.

Safina wants to work day and night. She lives for it. So she got in shape, got control of her head, and started winning everything in site.

Everything but majors. But Safina doesn't truly believe in herself, and she climbed one step too high.

There are responsibilities that go with No. 1. Pressures. Safina is not confident enough to handle them.

Serena is, but she hasn't done well enough in non-majors to hold on to the top ranking. Venus is, but she isn't quite good enough anymore.

Justine Henin is, but she's just now coming out of retirement. Maria Sharapova is, but she's still figuring out how to serve again after shoulder surgery.

And Kim Clijsters is. She beat Venus and Serena on the way to winning the U.S. Open last month after a 2 1/2 year retirement/maternity leave, but she doesn't plan to play a full enough schedule to be No. 1.

So women's tennis has real champions, but each with reasons not to be No. 1. That's how Safina got there in the first place.

"We all know who the real No. 1 is," Serena said in the spring, just as Safina reached No. 1. "Quite frankly, I'm the best in the world."

A real No. 1 has to handle trash-talking. Instead, in the French Open final, Safina yelled out to her coach, in front of the world, "Why am I such a chicken?" At Wimbledon, she lost 6-0, 6-1 to Venus. At the U.S. Open, she choked to unknown Petra Kvitova.

And Safin was already using his farewell press conference in New York to plead with the media.

"I have to protect her ... " he said. "You can't imagine how crazy she is about sports. I don't think there is one person in the world who is more professional than her.

"Everybody is hitting her, giving her a hard time ... 'What happened with this, what happened with that.' Leave her alone."

Sorry, No. 1 is not going to be left alone.

Monday's loss in Beijing was humiliating. But a woman who has been looking to tap-out of the No. 1 spot was finally allowed to do it.

So what now for Safina? Well, if Serena gets suspended from the Australian Open for her threatening tirade toward a line judge at the Open, then Safina might accidentally slip back to No. 1 again.

That would be the worst thing for her.

She's only 23, and already is left deciding whether work or rest is best. This wasn't part of the dream.

Email me at gregcouch09@aol.com