Food prices give Safin indigestion

Marat Safin has won more

than £6.5million in prize

money during his career,

but said he could hardly

afford a meal at

Wimbledon.

The Russian, who has never

liked playing on grass, was

outraged at the high prices

at the All England Club.

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"I try not to overstay my

welcome here," the former

world No 1 told the Sovietsky

Sport newspaper, branding

Wimbledon as his least

favourite tournament.

He added: "Players complain

about a lot of things in the

locker room but when it

comes to speaking to the

press they always say how

nice everything is. But how

can it be nice if you can't

even buy a normal meal

with our daily allowances

here. A plate of spaghetti

costs $25 (£12.50). Where

else do you see such

outrageous prices?"

The outspoken Muscovite,

the No 26 seed this year,

also criticised what he

regarded as over-zealous

security, saying: "The only

thing they do is search your

bags and all your pockets

about 300 times a day."

Safin's mood was hardly

helped by yesterday's rain

delays which prevented

his second-round match

against Pakistan's

Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi from

starting on Court No 1.