By Julien Pretot
PARIS (Reuters) - Just as her elder brother Marat Safin is sliding into retirement, a relaxed Dinara Safina has the perfect opportunity to prove at the French Open that she is a legitimate world number one.
Dubbed 'Marata' for her propensity to lose her nerve when things do not go her way, Safina, who has just won back-to-back titles on clay, has yet to win a grand slam and some of her rivals believe she does not deserve to sit on the throne.
"Becoming number one is not just a matter of winning a grand slam, it's just about how you compete during the whole year," Safina told reporters during last week's Madrid Open, which she won.
"Last year I won four tournaments, I beat almost all the top 10 players so I think I deserve that spot. Yes, I didn't win a grand slam but I was in two finals and one semi-final.
"Not many people could obtain such a result in one year. I think more about how I compete during the whole year, that's what I need to do to be consistent throughout the whole year."
On a good day, Safina is able to beat anyone, as she showed last year at Roland Garros when she defeated then world number one Maria Sharapova after saving a match point.
She did it again in the quarter-finals, dismissing Elena Dementieva 4-6 7-6 6-0 after whacking the centre court's geranium display.
Safina now wants to focus on herself with the help of her coach, Zljko Krajan, and fitness coach Dejan Vojnovic.
"From Stuttgart to Rome then from Rome to Madrid, the conditions were different. In Paris, it will be different again," she said.
"But to me, it does not change anything. I must keep the same concentration model."
QUESTION MARK
This year's French Open could prove the best opportunity for the 23-year-old Russian since her rivals have failed to shine on the red dirt.
Defending champion Ivanovic is back in action after a knee injury which forced her to withdraw from Madrid last week, and has dropped to eighth in the WTA rankings after losing form since last year's Roland Garros.
The Serbian has had only two wins on clay this season but said on Thursday she was nonetheless optimistic about her chances in the second Grand Slam of the season.
"Obviously I haven't had the preparation I would have liked, but on the positive side I didn't play many matches before the French Open last year too," Ivanovic said.
Serena Williams, who considers herself the true world number one, retired injured from her first-round match in Madrid, saying she just wanted to preserve her chances for Roland Garros.
The American also failed to get over the first hurdle in Rome earlier this month, losing 6-2 2-6 6-1 to Swiss Patty Schnyder.
While Safina is bringing a 13-1 clay-court record to Paris, Serena, who has not made it past the last eight at the French Open since reaching the semi-finals in 2003, has not won a single match on the slow surface this year.
The threat to Safina, apart from her nerves, could come from in-form Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat her in the Stuttgart final although the world number seven was no match for her fellow Russian in the Rome final.
Last year's semi-finalist Kuznetsova, however, has Serbian Jelena Jankovic and fellow Russian Elena Dementieva on her list of kills on clay this season.
Another threat to Safina could be France's Amelie Mauresmo, who has been a perpetual under-achiever at Roland Garros.
The former world number one looked to be in good form on her way to a semi-final appearance in Madrid.
(Editing by Clare Fallon; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)