No sign of bruises, or injury, for Safin

The evidence of a mysterious Moscow melee had disappeared, as had the shoulder
problem that forced Marat Safin out of this week's Kooyong Classic.
But as he practiced for the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Thursday, the signs
of a fairly jolly Christmas were apparent on the Russian waistline.
At 29, Safin, a two-time grand slam champion, isn't expected to pose a threat at
this year's Open.
But, with plenty of less-than-colourful athletes around, anyone who likes to be
entertained will be hoping he lasts a few rounds at least.
Safin spent an hour on court in a thorough and vigorous workout.
He served freely, moved well enough and was sharp at the net.
And, until the cameras turned up, he had a well-tattooed torso on show.
Perhaps if the Kooyong tournament's organisers had shown up he would have had the
decency to at least give his troublesome shoulder a rub.
Safin has already played in Australia once this year, making a brief appearance at
the Hopman Cup in Perth where he sported a couple of facial bruises he said were the
result of "something in Moscow".
Safin has made only one grand slam semi-final since winning the 2005 Australian
Open, losing in the penultimate round to Roger Federer at Wimbledon last year.
Among his victims at that tournament were reigning Australian Open champion and
fourth seed Novak Djokovic and ninth-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.
Which suggests there might still be a match or two in the player who has announced
this to be his last year on the world tennis tour.
It may just be a matter of whether he feels like producing it.