Mikhail Alekseevich Safin. Safin Marat

Winner of two Grand Slam cups in singles, twice winner of the Davis Cup competition as part of the Russian national team, winner of 17 ATP games, Marat Safin is so popular in our country due to his achievements that his name is familiar even to those completely far from tennis.

The beginning of the career of Marat Safin

The son of the head of the Spartak-Shiryaevo Pole sports base and one of the best tennis players in the USSR, Rauza Islanova, had every chance to become interested in tennis at a young age. Marat was six years old when he began regular training, and at ten he, along with other young athletes, went to the qualifying stage for admission to Nick Bollettieri's tennis academy. He did not pass this selection, but four years later he ended up with mentor Rafael Mensua at the Valencian Academy of Pancho Alvarin. Marat lived and trained in Spain for four years.

Professional start of a tennis player

Seventeen-year-old Marat Safin played his first match as a professional athlete in 1997 at the Kremlin Cup. Although he lost the fight, Safin attracted a lot of attention. The next year was very busy - he was part of the Russian team at the Davis Cup and reached the fourth rounds at the Open Championships in France and the USA. As a result, Safin received the title of discovery of the year and took a place in the ranking of the 50 best tennis players according to the ATP version.

A bright career in big sports

In 1999, young Marat Safin won his first ATP title in Boston and reached the final of the Masters tournament. In 2000, the incredible happened - six ATP titles and a Grand Slam Cup for winning the US Open, and Marat took the top of the ATP rankings for two weeks. The following year, two more titles are added to the athlete’s treasury of achievements. In 2002, he won the Masters series tournament and participated in the national team's victory at the Davis Cup.

Decline of Glory

The following year was unproductive, and 2004 brought him two Masters and winning a competition in Beijing. In 2005 there was a victory at the Australian Open, and this became the last title for Safin in singles - only a year later he was able to loudly declare himself by winning the Davis Cup together with his national team colleagues, and in 2009 end his career after losing the final of the Paris Masters.

Today, Marat Safin is the right hand of Shamil Tarpishchev (head of the Russian Tennis Federation) and a State Duma deputy from the Nizhny Novgorod region.

Marat Safin Biography - Tennis player

Childhood and family of Marat Safin

The boy’s mother went to work very early after his birth. She took Marat with her. He grew up surrounded by athletes, balls and rackets. It is not surprising that he picked up a racket very early. His mother was more than once surprised at how easy it was for her son to play tennis at the initial stage of his sports career. It seemed that he knew how to hold a racket in his hands from birth.

Marat Safin and non-tennis jokes, humor jokes laughter

Despite the apparent ease, Marat himself did not want to play tennis; the little boy dreamed of football. However, he continued training, yielding to his mother, who persuaded him not to leave tennis. As soon as my son turned six, his mother became his first coach and took him seriously.

As a boy, the aspiring athlete was one of the three best tennis players of his age in the entire Union. At an early age, he was among those who went to America to Cincinnati to attend a tennis academy. Nine-year-old Anna Kournikova also went there with him. It should be noted that she managed to show excellent results and remained in the USA. Marat failed to prove himself, so he returned to Moscow.

Marat's mother continued to train her son. In the early nineties, a talented boy did not have the opportunity to receive adequate training in dilapidated sports schools. His mother and part-time personal trainer managed to obtain a special grant for her son from a Swiss bank in 1994, which made it possible for Marat to study and train abroad.

Marat went to Valencia, where he trained at the Pancho Alvarin Tennis Academy. The young athlete was only fourteen years old; he did not know Spanish. In Valencia he had to live an independent life. He rented an apartment and lived on sixty dollars a month. It was not easy, he learned to be disciplined and passed all the tests.

The beginning of Marat Safin's sports career

This was followed by the Kremlin Cup, where Marat lost. However, this loss began a winning streak. Thus, having started 1998 as the 204th player in the ranking, he finished 48th. Many famous athletes had to be nervous when meeting on the courts with a budding star. In a short time, he began to be considered not only the hope of domestic tennis, but also the tennis hope of the whole world.

The rise of Marat Safin's career

Marat Safin: Showdown with Bondarchuk’s son (archive 2009)

At the American Open, to the surprise of the Americans, he managed to beat Pete Sampras at the age of twenty. So he became the first racket of the world. He was predicted to have a brilliant career, but this was not destined to come true. The athlete was distinguished by his inconstancy. So, at the end of 2000, he was no longer the first racket of the world, giving way to Gustav Kuerten.

In addition to the fact that Marat was mentally unstable, he was simply plagued by injuries that knocked him out of the training process and performance schedule. Although he was among the leaders of world tennis, Safin still did not reach the first line. But in the Russian national team this tennis player always showed himself exclusively as a true captain. The Russian team won the Davis Cup in 2002, and the main contribution to this victory was made by Safin.

Triumphs and failures of tennis player Marat Safin

The culmination of his career came when Safin was almost twenty-five years old. In Australia at the Open, he defeated Roger Federer and beat Lleyton Hewitt in the final. The tennis shown by Safin was outstanding.

In 2005, he became fiftieth, and in 2006 he was already in one hundred and fourth place. Marat had no more victories in singles. Safin's last season was 2009, according to the results of which the athlete ended up in twenty-fourth place in the world rankings.

The tennis player ended his career and played his last match on November 11, 2009 in France. At this match, fourteen thousand people said goodbye to the tennis player.

Marat Safin today

Since November 2010, the tennis player became acting. Vice President of the FTR. He oversees tennis tournaments in Russia.

Personal life of Marat Safin

Marat Safin - farewell ceremony

However, this relationship ended as soon as the tennis player climbed to Olympus. He dated Ekaterina Bestuzheva for almost a year, but all this time they were, one might say, in an open relationship without obligations.

In 2004, Safin began a serious romance. The chosen one was Daria Zhukova. Time passed, and the girl left him. After this, the tennis player had a series of often starting and quickly ending frivolous novels. Among his passions were Elena Korikova, Alisa Seleznyova, Jessica Biel, Nastya Osipova.

It is known that the tennis player has an illegitimate daughter, Eva. He had a short affair with her mother, Valeria; she found out about the pregnancy after she broke up with Marat. The child’s father allocates a certain amount every month for Eva’s upbringing, and sees her no more than once every six months.

Marat Mubinovich Safin (Tat. Marat Mobin uly Safin). Born on January 27, 1980 in Moscow. Russian tennis player, Honored Master of Sports of Russia, former world number one in singles.

Marat's father, Mubin (Mikhail) Alekseevich, held an administrative position in the structure of the Spartak sports club.

Mother - Rauza Islanova - was one of the leading tennis players in the USSR at the turn of the 1960-1970s, and subsequently a leading Russian tennis coach.

The younger sister is also a professional tennis player, former world number one among women's singles. These are the only siblings in history to become the first rackets in the world.

Tatar by nationality, Muslim by religion.

In addition to Russian, he speaks Spanish and English, and knows a little Italian and Tatar.

Marat began playing tennis at the age of six at the Spartak - Shiryaevo Pole tennis base, which was managed by his father.

Until the age of 13, his mother was his coach.

At the age of 10, he tried to enter the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, but did not pass the selection. Four years later, his mother makes a new attempt to enroll her son in a tennis academy, this time at the Pancho Alvarin Academy in Valencia and succeeds. He studied there for 4 years, under the guidance of Rafael Mensua.

Safin began his professional career in 1997. In September 1997, he won the first tournament of the Challenger series in Espinho, Portugal. In October, he played for the first time at an ATP tour tournament - the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, but the debut was unsuccessful - in the first match, Marat lost to the Dane Kenneth Carlsen - 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4).

In the spring of 1998, 18-year-old Marat made his debut at the Davis Cup against the US team. Marat played three matches against famous opponents and lost to Andre Agassi in three sets - 3-6, 3-6, 3-6, then paired with Kafelnikov in four games he lost to Todd Martin and Richie Reneberg. Evgeniy won both of his singles matches, so the confrontation between Safin and Courier became decisive. Marat took the first set to zero, in the second he took the lead - 4-1, but ultimately lost in a stubborn five-set match to the experienced Courier - 6-0, 4-6, 6-4, 1-6, 4-6.

In the summer, Safin at the French Open, having qualified, consistently defeated Agassi and the current champion, Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten. Thus, Marat Safin became the first player in the history of the Grand Slam tournaments who managed to break through the qualifications and defeat the reigning champion. In the fourth round of the tournament, Marat was stopped in five sets by Frenchman Cedric Piolin - 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(5), 4-6, 4-6. With this performance, Marat attracted the attention of the tennis community and for the first time entered the Top 100 of the world rankings.

In September 1999, Safin won his first match in the Davis Cup - against the Japanese Takao Suzuki in the playoffs. At the tournament in Ostrava, in the first round, Marat defeated another player of the world elite, the owner of the courts Petr Korda - 6-4, 6-2, but in the next game he lost to the Swede Nicholas Kulti - 6-7 (4), 6-7 (1) . Tennis experts immediately noted Marat and at the end of the season, Safin received the ATP award as rookie of the year.

Marat won his first ATP title at the age of 19 years and 7 months in Boston.(warm-up tournament before the US Open, in August), beating the Englishman Greg Rusedski in the final - 6-4, 7-6 (11), becoming the youngest Russian winner in the history of ATP tournaments.

At the 2000 US Open, Safin achieved one of the most important successes of his career. Having overcome difficulties in the first rounds, Marat played out and, reaching the semi-final match with last year’s finalist - the American veteran giant Todd Martin (he is ten years older and five centimeters taller than the 193-centimeter Safin, who was 20 that summer), won in three sets. And in the final against Pete Sampras, he literally destroyed him - 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 without losing a single serve, having fought off two break points. Perfectly timed shots along the lines and only 12 unforced errors per match. Safin not only outplayed his opponent on the back line, but also had superiority in serve (Marat's 12 aces included only two double faults, while Sampras' similar figures were 8 and 4). Thus, Safin won his first Grand Slam title, becoming the second Russian to achieve this achievement.

Marat made his Olympic debut in 2000 in Sydney. In the first round, he faced one of the most inconvenient opponents for him - the Frenchman Fabrice Santoro, and Safin lost 6-1, 1-6, 4-6. In October, at the Kremlin Cup, Safin reached the semi-finals. At another Russian tournament in St. Petersburg, Safin manages to win his 6th title this year and 7th in his career (in the final he defeated Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty - 2-6, 6-4, 6-4). This allowed Safin to officially lead the ranking of professional tennis players for the first time in his career. he became at that time the youngest number one in the history of tennis(However, the following year this title was taken from Marat by the Australian Lleyton Hewitt). He became the second Russian after Yevgeny Kafelnikov to achieve this achievement.

Marat Safin, 3 weeks before the end of the season, came out on top for the second time in the ATP Champions Race-2000. The Russian was 20 points ahead of his closest pursuer, Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten. Before the final tournament of the year in Lisbon at the Masters in the famous Bercy hall in Paris, many were waiting for the final Safin - Kuerten. Marat actually made it to the final in Paris for the second year in a row, defeating Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in the semifinals in 52 minutes - 6-2, 6-2, while the Brazilian sheathed his racket, losing two stubborn tiebreakers to Mark Philippoussis in the semifinals. In the final, the Russian defeated the Australian 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(8) and won this prestigious tournament. Thus, Marat goes to the Final Tournament of the year as the first racket of the world with a small lead over Kuerten.

In 2001, Marat topped the ATP rankings twice more (for 4 and 3 weeks), bringing his total tally to 9 weeks at the top.

Marat started the 2002 season well - reaching the final of the Australian Open, defeating compatriot Mikhail Youzhny and two world elite players - Pete Sampras and Tommy Haas - on the way to this final. But Marat did not succeed in becoming a two-time Grand Slam champion - in the final, in which Marat was considered the favorite, he was defeated by Swedish tennis player Thomas Johansson 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-7 (4). The decisive match took place on the 22nd birthday of the Russian tennis player, who, it turns out, deprived himself of the gift. In the post-match interview, the Russian referred to nervous exhaustion as the reason for his failure.

At the end of November 2002 he played in the Davis Cup final as part of the Russian national team. The meeting took place on clay, and Safin and the Russian team managed to win the most prestigious team cup in tennis for the first time, defeating the French team - 3-2, however, the hero of that final was not Safin, but Mikhail Youzhny, who won precisely in the fifth, decisive meeting. Marat, together with Yevgeny Kafelnikov, lost a pair in five sets, but won both singles matches entrusted to him - against his “offender” at the Kremlin Cup, Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 and Sebastian Grosjean 6 -3, 6-2, 7-6(11).

At the 2005 Australian Championships Safin arrived as the fourth racket, so he could not get strong opponents at the start. In the first round, his opponent was 17-year-old Serbian Novak Djokovic, a debutant in Grand Slam tournaments, who then managed to take only three games from Marat - 6-0, 6-2, 6-1. Then they beat Bogdan Uligrach, Mario Ancic, Olivier Rochus and Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty in the quarterfinals. In the semi-finals, Marat Safin defeats Roger Federer in an incredibly difficult five-set match. Federer had a match point on his serve in the fourth set tiebreak, but Safin did not flinch, circling the world ranking leader as he approached the net with a candle. Safin later called this match a battle of “tennis minds.”

Safin's victory ended Federer's 26-match winning streak against top-ten players. In the final, Safin faced the host of the competition, Lleyton Hewitt. Thanks to successful play and conversion of break points (4 out of 11), Marat wins with a score of 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and becomes the owner of the second Grand Slam title in the last 5 years. At that moment, no one would have believed that for the Russian that title would be the last single title in his career. After winning the 2005 Australian Open, Safin stated that he owed his successful performance to the presence of his new coach Peter Lundgren: "I didn't believe in myself until I started working with Peter."

He ended his professional career in 2009 at the Masters tournament in Paris. “Today I put all my memories, victories and defeats in a small box. The door is closed - and I hope another one will open,” he said in parting.

Almost immediately after the end of his professional career, Marat began participating in exhibition and veteran matches.

Immediately after the end of his career, Marat Safin planned to run for the post of vice-president of the Russian Olympic Committee on December 17, 2009, but in the end he was not elected to this position.

On November 19, 2010, by order of the President of the Russian Tennis Federation Shamil Tarpishchev, Marat Safin was appointed acting vice-president of the FTR on a voluntary basis. His responsibilities included organizing international tennis tournaments in Russia, as well as representing the FTR on the international tours of the ATP and WTA.

In July 2011, Marat Safin decided to run for the State Duma on the United Russia list. In the United Russia primaries, Safin was among the winners from the Nizhny Novgorod region.

Interesting facts about Marat Safin:

Marat Safin is known for his outbursts of emotion during matches. He broke an incredible number of racquets, and at the 2004 French Open, during a match against Felix Mantilla, he lowered his shorts to his hips after winning another point.

Marat Safin is the tallest player (height - 193 cm) in the history of the ATP, who managed to become the first racket of the world, as well as the tallest player who won more than one Grand Slam singles tournament.

During his career, Marat Safin, of all the winners of the Grand Slam tournaments with whom he met on the court, did not defeat only Rafael Nadal (balance of personal meetings - 0-2), Richard Krajicek (0-1), Patrick Rafter (0-1) and Juan Martina Del Potro (0-1).

Despite his already famous instability in the game, in the period from Wimbledon 2001 to Roland Garros 2002, it was Marat Safin who was the most stable player in the ATP, reaching at least the quarterfinals at these four tournaments on different surfaces.

During his career, Marat Safin was famous for his very powerful, but not always stable serve. However, Safin in the semi-finals of the 2004 Australian Open against Andre Agassi set a record - for the first time since 1991, when the ATP began collecting similar statistics, a player who made 31 aces (and not 33, as other sources report) did not make a single double fault - a record , which was repeated only at the Australian Open 2010 by Andy Roddick against Fernando Gonzalez. It is important to note that both Marat and Andy Roddick won those matches.

Safin’s most stubborn and principled rivals were the Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty and the Australian Lleyton Hewitt, with whom it was never clear which of them was stronger (with both players it was a draw - 7:7), as well as the same-year-old Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero (and with it's a draw - 6:6).

Marat's most inconvenient opponents: Roger Federer (personal match score - 2:10), Frenchmen Fabrice Santoro (personal match score - 2:7) and Gael Monfils (personal match score - 0:4), Swede Andreas Vinciguierra (0:4) , as well as Chilean Fernando Gonzalez (3:6).

Marat himself did not defeat a single player at least ten times (his main “client” during his career was the Spaniard Alberto Martin - his personal score was 7:0), and the only person who beat him at least ten times was Federer.

Like unlucky opponents, Marat also had unhappy tournaments - Safin lost twice in the finals in Hamburg, twice in the Australian Open, and twice in the Kremlin Cup, although he still won the Australian Open on the third attempt.

Marat Safin's height: 193 centimeters.

Personal life of Marat Safin:

Marat had a stormy personal life, which was always actively covered in the media.

The tennis player had an affair with (later the wife of Roman Abramovich).

Then he met with actress Elena Korikova.

Later, the lead singer of the group “Brilliant” became his passion; they met in 2008-2009.

From a short affair with Valeria Yakubovskaya, Marat had a daughter, Eva, who lives with her mother, and Safin allocates funds for her upbringing.

Since mid-2015, he has been dating an opera singer, whom he met by chance at a party with mutual friends.

Winner of two Grand Slam singles tournaments, former world number one and former State Duma deputy, tennis player Marat Safin, as they say, was born with a racket in his hands. Today, after completing his professional career, he still cannot completely give up the sport. Marat participates in veterans' matches, and in 2016 he became the first Russian tennis player to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Sport family

Marat Safin could hardly have avoided a sports career. His mother Rauza Islanova was one of the best tennis players in the USSR in the 1970s. The father of the future champion, Mubin Alekseevich, worked in the Spartak sports community. The mother took her son to practice, so he learned the basics of tennis from an early age. At the age of 6, the boy began to study seriously, thanks to which he entered a tennis academy in Spain. There he not only learned the skill, but also mastered the Spanish language almost perfectly.

The first success came to Marat in 1997. He went to the ATP Challenger World Tour in Espino (Espinho) in Portugal, where, in the company of eminent tennis players, he was able to win the competition for the first time. Over the next year, Safin managed to get into the list of the 50 best athletes. At the French Open, he defeated, as well as the current champion at that time, Gustavo Kuerten. This could not go unnoticed by the tennis world. At the age of 18, Marat had already received approval from the sports community; they predicted a great future for him, and they were not mistaken.

Significant victories of Marat Safin

Marat first came to Wimbledon in the same 1998, but could not defeat. At the US Open he loses to the world number one, but this was not their last meeting. Safin took a kind of revenge in 2000, when at the same US Open, having reached the final, he actually defeated Pete. This was the first important title for the tennis player. This is exactly what all sports publications wrote: “Marat Safin Beats Pete Sampras.”

In those years, the world star already signed a successful contract with the German sports giant adidas. In an interview in 1998, Safin said that he felt like just a Russian tennis player who was ranked 48th in the world. No more and no less. On the one hand, it sounds modest, but also quite significant.

On the way to his second Grand Slam victory, Marat Safin managed to beat compatriot Mikhail Youzhny, Tommy Haas and again Pete Sampras. He became the first racket of the world and held this status for nine weeks. As a member of the national team, Safin won the Davis Cup in 2002.

At the Australian Open in 2004, having defeated Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals and then Andre Agassi, Marat lost to Roger Federer in the final. A year later he returned there to become the first. By that time, the tennis player had changed his coach to the Swede Peter Lundgren, and dedicated his victory to him.

Unfortunately, Marat was plagued by a knee injury. Since 2006, after another victory at the Davis Cup, the tennis player's success has gradually faded away. They also say that some defeats were associated with the athlete’s excessive emotionality. He could not restrain himself, often broke rackets right on the court, and lost his temper. However, at the end of his career, he still reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon, which no Russian had ever done before.

A farewell ceremony was held on the Center Court in Bercy in Paris after Marat's last match. Many famous tennis players attended. A video of the athlete’s most significant matches was shown on the big screen. Safin briefly and succinctly said goodbye to everyone:

“Today I put all my memories, victories and defeats in a small box. The door is closed, and hopefully others will open.”

Personal life of Marat Safin

Marat had no less interesting events happening outside the court. The charming handsome man was famous for his affairs with Russian celebrities, such as model Tatyana Korsakova, designer Daria Zhukova and actress Elena Korikova. Marat was a media personality; the press often discussed his personal life, which the tennis player was dissatisfied with. Discussions that Safin and his friend were more than once seen with girls of, so to speak, easy virtue, caused a storm of emotions in the athlete. To this he replied that he could not always think about tennis.

Marat never married; he has a daughter with Valeria Yakubovskaya, whom he helps financially. The latest lover of the heartthrob is opera singer Aida Garifullina. Although, according to the latest data, they have already broken up.

After career

Marat Safin earned a lot of money through prize money and contracts with Rolex. Until 2017, the tennis player worked in the State Duma, but left there with the words that he could be useful in the world of sports.

“A lot has happened in recent years, I was inducted into the Hall of Fame. This is a significant thing for us. After that, I began to receive offers both for professional activities and from the business sector, which were also interesting to me. I think I’ll be more useful here.”

In the fall of 2019, Marat Safin captivated the Russian public with his comments on the final of the men's US Open and Rafael Nadal. The eccentric manner of commenting was noted everywhere, and a number of Safin’s catchphrases were immediately snapped up for quotes:

- Oops, picked it well! Bravo!
- Nadal plays football very well. He could become the best at Spartak or Zenit.
- I hope I explain it well. If not, then sorry.
- Oh, and this is an actress from the TV series The Americans. An excellent series about Russian illegal spies. I recommend watching it, it's on Netflix. Could this even be said on air? - Either you attack, or you will be torn apart.
- Come on, give me the scythe. Let's go ahead and give it a go.
- Nadal is also nervous. Look, his hair is already falling out.
- Hit the body. If he had gotten it in the meat, he would have won the ball. And he gave me an intellectual.
- Don’t scold me too much, I’m still not a real commentator.

Marat Safin is the brightest Russian tennis player of the 2000s. His play, inspired and unpredictable, could not cause indifference. Grand victories and sudden failures; Safin’s entire career is like a roller coaster – sharp and exciting, which is why there are countless fans of Marat, even outside of Russia.

Safin Marat Mubinovich

Born 01/27/1980

Personal achievements:

• Winner of 2 Grand Slam tournaments (US Open-2000, Australian Open-2005).
• Finalist of 2 Grand Slam tournaments (Australian Open-2002, Australian Open-2004).
• Winner of 17 ATP tournaments (15 in singles).

Team Achievements:

• Winner of the Davis Cup 2002, 2006.

Sports roots

Most likely, tennis for Marat and Dinara (his sister) Safin was destined by fate - their mother was a famous tennis player, and then began to coach. Marat’s father was also associated with sports, working in the Spartak society in a leadership position - he had a tennis base on Shiryaev Field under his command.

It is not difficult to guess that it was in Sokolniki that Marat began to learn the basics of tennis, of course, under the watchful gaze of his mother. As time passed, the boy grew in every sense, and better conditions became necessary for his tennis development. So Safin entered a special tennis academy in Valencia, Spain. Marat was 14 years old at that time.

Professional

Spain gave Safin a lot; it was there that he developed as a professional tennis player. A few years of training, and Marat will already make his debut on the ATP Tour, having previously demonstrated himself successfully at the “challengers”. They first started talking about Safina seriously in 1998, during the French Open - Roland Garros. Having passed through the qualification sieve, Safin successively defeated Andre Agassi and the current trophy winner Gustavo Kuerten. Marat stopped at the tournament in the fourth round, which is certainly a good result for a newcomer and yesterday’s junior.

Unsuccessful matches follow - the young player lacks stability and endurance. However, at the final Grand Slam tournament, the US Open, Safin again proved himself, also reaching the fourth round, in which he lost to the first racket of the world to the American. At the end of the season, Safin is consolidated in the TOP 100 and receives the ATP Rookie of the Year award.

Safin again spent 1999 unevenly, but at the same time won victories over many strong tennis players. Once again, like a year earlier, Marat reached the 4th round at Roland Garros, but he did not succeed at other Big Four tournaments. However, these failures cannot erase Safin’s first victory at the adult level - Marat won the tournament in Boston. Safin successfully ends the season, reaching the final of the Paris Masters, in which Agassi became his offender. The result of the season is obvious progress - 23rd place.

Victory at the US Open, first racket

The 2000 season became the year of Safin. Having started the season with numerous early eliminations, Marat was convincing in the spring, winning two tournaments in Spain (Barcelona and Mallorca) and reaching the final of the Masters in Hamburg. At Roland Garros, Safin again becomes a noticeable character - this time he reaches the quarterfinals. This result allowed him to enter the top ten of the world rankings.

But things are not going well for Safin at Wimbledon. Despite his tall stature, Marat is completely reluctant to go to the net, preferring to play on the back line - you can’t escape the Spanish clay tennis education. So this time Safin is forced to leave London after the second round.

However, Marat did not grieve for long and already in August he won another title, but the first of the Masters series - in Toronto. It is noteworthy that in the quarterfinals Safin defeated Pete Sampras. Then this event became a sensation, and most experts did not take Safin’s victory seriously, since he soon had to confirm his success on the courts of the US Open, the main favorite of which was the legendary American.

But there was no revenge. Having passed the first rounds with some difficulty, in the last two matches of the tournament Safin dispelled all doubts about the non-accidentality of his being in the top. First, Marat confidently defeated Todd Martin, and in the final he defeated Pete Sampras in three sets. His game was a pleasure - Safin had an excellent strong serve, but at the same time he was superior to Sampras in playing on the back line, forcing the American to constantly fend off accurate and strong shots.

Having won a historic victory for himself, Safin went to Tashkent, where success and first place in the ATP ranking awaited him again! Next, Marat gives beautiful tennis to the Russian public - a semi-final in Moscow and a victory in St. Petersburg. Safin has gotten into excellent shape and is going to the final tournament of the year as the first racket in the world. However, the defeat in the semi-finals from Andre Agassi deprives him of the top line of the ranking - he finishes 2000 in second place.

Recession, injuries

As you know, getting to the top is easier than staying there. Next season Marat will experience a decline. Yes, he became one of the elite tennis players on the Tour and became a favorite in most matches, but instability prevents his further success.

Safin is distinguished by his unpredictability on the court - and it is often to his disadvantage. Where it is necessary to play reliably and simply, Marat acts too creatively and makes mistakes. In terms of the number of unforced errors and broken rackets among Tour stars, he is the clear leader. At the same time, Safin is gaining many fans all over the world, his tennis - bright, sincere, unpredictable - attracts many fans.

From the results in 2001, one can note the relative success at Wimbledon - the quarterfinals and loss to the future triumphant Goran Ivanisevic. He performed even better in America, stopping in the semifinals of the US Open - Sampras took revenge for last year. An excellent result, but not for Safin - champions are in special demand! Safin finishes the season in 11th place.

Safin starts the next year with a bang - he reaches the finals of the Australian Open. Having powerfully advanced through the tournament bracket, Marat was the favorite in the decisive match, but lost to the Swede Thomas Johansson. Safin holds a series of clay tournaments smoothly, but without victories. Marat approaches the French Roland Garros in good shape and reaches the semifinals in Paris!

It seemed that Safin was finally gaining much-needed stability, but failures at Wimbledon and the US Open, alas, indicate otherwise. Only in late autumn did Marat come to his senses, having twice become the triumphant of Paris. First, Safin wins the Masters Series tournament in the capital of France, and later wins a historic victory for Russian tennis there: together with his teammates, he becomes the winner of the Davis Cup - for the first time in the history of the Russian national team. Marat's contribution is enormous - Safin won both singles matches.

At the end of the year, Safin still progressed - even an unsuccessful performance at the final tournament of the season did not move him from the 3rd line of the ranking.

2003 is a black spot in Safin’s career. Marat was plagued by injuries almost the entire season, which prevented him from entering the courts at three of the four Grand Slam tournaments. And Safin did not succeed at tournaments with a lower status. The result is a rapid fall in the rankings, to the end of the top hundred.

Second peak, Australian triumph

Safin’s entire career is black and white. After a deafening fall, an amazing return to the elite awaited him. At the first BS tournament of the 2004 season, Safin demonstrates excellent tennis. He is surprisingly collected and calm, easily passes the first rounds, and in the quarterfinals and semifinals he makes an “American double”. First he overcomes the powerful serve and forehand of Andy Roddick, and then in a mental battle on the back line he defeats Andre Agassi. In the final, Roger Federer was waiting for Safin and predictably won - after two grueling matches, Marat had almost no strength left.

Despite his restored confidence, Safin’s spring-summer season was not particularly successful. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Safin changed his coach - since April, Swede Peter Lundgren, who had previously collaborated with Federer, became his mentor. When the time of mutual grinding into each other passed, Safin shone again.

The end of 2004 and the beginning of 2005 was the period of the most mature tennis played by Safin. When Marat was concentrated and attentive, he was unstoppable. Perhaps Safin is the only tennis player in the mid-2000s who could beat Roger Federer - not to run over, waiting for the Swiss to make mistakes, but to defeat him in a double-edged attacking game.

The Safin-Federer semi-final at the 2005 Australian Open is one of the best matches in recent tennis history. A bright and uncompromising game ended with Marat winning in five sets. After a brilliant victory over the Swiss in the final, court owner Lleyton Hewitt could not stop him, and Safin won the Grand Slam tournament for the second time in his career.

Decline of a career

However, Safin was unable to develop his Australian success - injuries again failed him. Early departures alternated with refusals to perform. Marat fell lower and lower in the rankings, and in 2006 he refused to work with Lundgren, but this step did not bring any special dividends to Safin. Yes, the second half of the 2006 season gave hope to Marat’s fans - Safin reached the 4th round at the US Open, reached the Kremlin Cup final, and looked good at the Masters. Of course, for a player of Safin’s caliber these were very modest results, but after almost a year of oblivion they seemed like the beginning of a new rise.

But the expected return of Safin to the top did not take place - bright single matches were replaced by weak-willed defeats in the first and second rounds. After his triumph in Australia and before the end of his career, Safin was remembered for only two performances. The first is his performance in the 2006 Davis Cup. Marat again showed inspired tennis and won a decisive victory in the final confrontation with the Argentines. The second is a more than unexpected exit to the semi-finals of Wimbledon 2008. To put it mildly, not shining in London in his best years, Safin confidently walked through the tournament bracket until the meeting with Federer.

In almost all other matches, Safin was frankly out of place on the court. Injuries completely ruined his career and his mood to fight. The speed dropped, Marat was increasingly angry with himself and irritable in his interactions with the judges. At the end of 2008, Safin began to think about retiring, but remained on the court for another year.

However, despite all his efforts to demonstrate high-quality play, Safin understood that his time was up. Marat played his last match on that very happy Parisian court, which gave him so many triumphs.

Public Favorite

Of course, Safin was not the best tennis player of his generation. He didn't have the killer instinct that would allow him to win tournament after tournament. Often his decisions on the court were too irrational and his behavior was eccentric, which negatively affected the result.

But with all this, fans in all countries of the world greeted Safin with applause; this is his main victory in tennis - a game that for Marat became more than a profession; On the court, he loved to play real chess games, however, baffling not only his opponents, but also himself.