Marat Safin

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Marat Mikhailovich Safin (Tatar: ?? ?? ??, Marat Möbin ul? Safin [m??r?t ?s?f?n]; Russian: ?? (?) ; born January 27, 1980, in Moscow) is a former World No. 1 Russian ATP tennis player. He is the older brother of current World No. 2 WTA player Dinara Safina. They are the first brother-sister tandem in tennis history to both achieve No. 1 rankings.



Safin began his professional career in 1997, and held the No. 1 world ranking for a total of 9 weeks between November 2000 and April 2001. He won his first Grand Slam title at the 2000 U.S. Open after defeating Pete Sampras, and won the 2005 Australian Open, defeating Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the final.



Safin helped lead Russia to Davis Cup victories in 2002 and 2006. Despite his dislike of grass courts, he became the first Russian man to reach the semifinals of Wimbledon at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships.



 At the time of his final[citation needed] Grand Slam appearance at the US Open on 2 September 2009, Safin was No. 61 in the official world men's tennis rankings.

Safin was born in Moscow, USSR (now Russia), to Mikhail Safin and Rauza Islanova, an ethnic Tatar family. Safin describes himself as a non-practicing Muslim.[4] He speaks Russian, English, and Spanish. His parents are former tennis players and coaches. His younger sister, Dinara Safina,[5] is a professional tennis player and silver medalist at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing. Safin's father managed the local Spartak Tennis Club, where Safin trained in his youth alongside several tennis players, including Anna Kournikova, Elena Dementieva, and Anastasia Myskina.

At age 14 he moved to Valencia, Spain, to gain access to advanced tennis training programs which were not available in Russia.[6] Safin says he grew up "very fast ... with no muscles" and that he moved to Spain because clay courts were "better for the knees".[6] Safin speaks fluent Spanish as a result.

Safin started his professional career in 1997. In 1998, Safin consecutively defeated Andre Agassi and defending champion Gustavo Kuerten at the French Open.

now retired.

now retired.

not yet i think

not yet i think

he will retire...

SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 12: Suporters of Marat Safin try to catch up a ball after Safin's match against Mao-Xin Gong of China during day two of 2009 Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 at the Qi Zhong Tennis Centre in Shanghai. (Photo by Victor Fraile/Getty Images)

SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 12: Marat Safin of Russia pick ups his racket during his match against Mao-Xin Gong of China during day two of 2009 Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 at the Qi Zhong Tennis Centre in Shanghai. (Photo by Victor Fraile/Getty Images)



SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 12: Marat Safin of Russia returns a shot to Mao-Xin Gong of China during day two of 2009 Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 at the Qi Zhong Tennis Centre in Shanghai. (Photo by Victor Fraile/Getty Images)