New York, Sep 3 (DPA) Russian Marat Safin is counting the days to when he can kiss tennis goodbye, with five events left to play after crashing without regrets from the first round of the US Open.

The two-time Grand Slam champion, who will quit the game in two months when he plays at Paris Bercy for the final time, exited at Flushing Meadows nine years after his shock title victory over Pete Sampras.

On Wednesday, Safin lost to Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-1, 4-6, 3-6, 4-6, barely noticing the end of his 11-year run at majors.

'It's okay, it's the end, the last one. It could have been (a) better ending, but still okay,' Safin said. 'I'm looking forward to (after) my career, so I have no regrets - and I don't care about losses anymore.'

After being grilled at every event that he has played in 2009, whether this will really mark a stopping point, Safin is more than tired of dispensing identical answers.

'I think it is the perfect timing, because I'm still young,' said the 29-year-old. 'I don't have a family, I'm ready to make a change - why not? I'm ambitious, I want to achieve some things.'

He claimed to be different from other people who want to do nothing with the rest of their lives and 'talk nonsense on ESPN, talk about my match against Sampras.