A dozen of his contemporaries came to the Paris Masters bidding to snatch the last coveted slots for the Shanghai Masters Cup - but fading star Marat Sarin is contemplating retirement after a shambolic showing on Monday.
With 18 of the top 20 players in the world appearing in the City of Light, including Roger Federer, who confirmed he will bid to land his first Masters title of the year, French fans expected a feast.
But with Safin, they got a dogs breakfast of a performance as the three-time Paris champion crashed out 0-6, 6-7 (4) to Argentine qualifier Juan Monaco, who profited from his rival's seven double faults and 46 unforced errors in advancing to a meeting with Frenchman Gael Monfils.
Safin, champion in 2000, 2002 and 2004 but now finding the going tough outside the top 30, admitted he couldn't wait to start his holiday in Miami.
"I just don't know what happened. I just couldn't find my rhythm. I didn't take my chances," said the two-time Grand Slam winner, who turns 29 in January.
Safin said he had to consider his future in the game.
"I have had two difficult years and no vacation - pretty intensive.
"If I feel like I want to continue to play I will - if not it will be over," he told reporters.
Safin lost the first eight games but broke back after several bouts of head clutching for 2-2 in the second.
An ace moved the Russian to 6-5 but Monaco held to force the tiebreak, whereupon Safin produced a series of wild and loose shots to concede the battle.
As Safin's star fades away so that of Argentine Juan Martin del Potro is on the rise after four titles this season - and the No 9 seed lined up yesterday against Croatian Mario Ancic, a three-set winner on Monday over Rainer Schuettler of Germany.
Federer, dethroned by Rafael Nadal in August as world No 1 after a record 237 weeks, arrives here fresh from retaining his title in Basel after defeating Argentine David Nalbandian in Sunday's final.
Federer and Nadal, along with Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Nikolay Davydenko and in action on Wednesday, have already booked their Shanghai tickets but a dozen players can still capture the three remaining slots, adding to the competitive edge.
The Swiss will take on the winner of today's meeting between Lyon champion Robin Soderling of Sweden and Frenchman Josselin Ouanna.
Before Safin's comedy of errors, Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, the 2006 Australian Open finalist, was forced to quit with lower back pain in the third set of his match with Sam Querrey of the United States.
"I felt a sharp pain. I didn't want to take any risks of being out for a long time and have problems later," said Baghdatis, who has had an injury-plagued season.
Querrey's dubious reward is a match against British fourth seed Murray, who on Sunday became the first Briton in 33 years to land back to back titles with his successful defence at Saint Petersburg on Sunday - Mark Cox having won London and Washington in 1975.
Murray has won five titles this year - second only on the men's tour to top-ranked Nadal, who has carried off eight.
Russian Igor Andreev, ranked 20th in the world, beat France's Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6, 6-3 and will take on local favorite and Masters Cup hopeful Gilles Simon in the second-round.
Czech Tomas Berdych also reached the second round with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over American Robby Ginepri.
Berdych, winner of the Paris indoor tournament in 2005, will next meet Swiss 12th seed Stanislas Wawrinka, who still has an outside chance of grabbing one of the three remaining spots for the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai.
Although he dropped serve twice in the match, Berdych broke twice in each set to ease past Ginepri.
German Nicolas Kiefer resisted Croatian Ivo Karlovic's 12 aces to win 6-4, 7-5 and set up a second-round encounter with defending champion David Nalbandian, seeded eighth and also looking for a Masters Cup berth.
Another Croatian, Marin Cilic, saw off Italy's Andreas Seppi 7-6, 6-2 and will take on Spanish qualifier Marcel Granollers.
Source: China Daily/Agencies
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