Marat Mikhailovich Safin (Marat Mөbin ulı Safin) was born on the January, 27, 1980 in Moscow in the ethnic Tatar family. Marat is a famous Russian tennis player, former World Number 1 and the elder brother of current World Number 1 WTA player Dinara Safina. Their mother and the first coach Rausa Islanova is also tennis player, USSR champion. Marat became a professional player in 1997. He took part in the Grand Slam Championship five times, and won two of them, in USA (2000) and in Australia (2005). Twice Marat was in semifinals. This year, on the June, 24, 2009 Marat lost in the first round at Wimbledon. It was the last championship in Marat’s sport career. In spite of the result, he resigned himself philosophically to it. Marat says that he feels relief.

In the moment of the first visit to a tennis-court Marat was five months old: there were nobody at home to sit with a baby, and Rosa took him along to the training. He has grown at the tennis-courts. Rausa Islanova was Marat’s coach till 13 years old. In 1990 Marat with his mother went to USA for training at Nick Bollettieri's tennis academy. He was entering there in one group with Anna Kurnikova. But Marat and his mother had to leave USA very soon, because nobody detected his talent there. But in 1994 Marat went to Spain to train the tennis Academy Pancho Alvarina in Valencia. He didn’t know Spanish then, but now is fluent in it. Marat began training led by Rafael Mensua.

In 1997 Marat took his first title, having won the challenger tournament in Espino. Next year, at the Grand Slam tournament in Paris, Marat played out Andre Agassi and Gustavo Kuerten. It was something unexpected for Marat himself. Such a successful performance has captured attention to the young player. By the end of the year 1998 Marat Safin became one of the world’s top 50 players. Next year, 1999 his name was between the world’s top 25 players.

In 2000 Marat trained under the guidance of Andrey Chesnokov, Alexander Volkov and Tony Pikkard. He won in seven tournaments that year, and his first Grand Slam in USA as well, where he smashed no less than Pete Sampras himself! After he had won a tournament in Tashkent, Marat Safin became the World Number one, though by the end of the year he was only second. He became the youngest player who was the first in the ATP rating.

Between the following Marat’s successes the Davis cup-2002 is to be named. Because of the good performances of the players, Safin among them, the Russian team gained this prize for the first time. Marat entered the semifinals of the Australian open, but lost. Although Marat didn’t won, the whole stadium sang him “Happy Birthday”, because the last play happened on his birthday. In 2002 Safin changed the coach. His best friend Denis Golovanov became Marat’s new mentor. The prognoses of the tennis experts were very optimistic. They named Marat the most perspective player, who would dominate in the world tennis the nearest few years. Unfortunately, Marat became several traumas influenced on his playing seriously. He missed the most part of the season 2003.

Next year, 2004, Marat returned into tennis with the triumph: Marat took part in the Australian open, having defeated the World Number One Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi, but yielded the championship in the final. The year 2005 begun with the failures, but after them Safin won his second Grand Slam Championship in Australia.

After the triumph a knee-trauma and very unlucky season of the 2006 followed. The year 2007 is remarkable for the good tennis at the Australian Open and the Davis Cup, won by the Russian team, in which Marat Safin won the play-off.

This year was the last one in the Marat’s career as a tennis player. He participated in Wimbledon, but lost in the first round. The player resigns himself to this result philosophically.

Except playing tennis, Marat Safin is fond of alpinism, football and hockey. He speaks Russian, English, and Spanish. As to the confession, describes himself as a non-practicing Muslim.

Source:
    www.tennis-safin.ru
,
    www.maratoss.narod.ru
 

Yulia Buzykina