Big, blazing, bumptious, and sometimes bumbling, excessive in everything he does, 6-4, 195 pound Marat Safin is a good-natured bundle of immense talent waiting to be tamed. Nobody can stop him when he fires on all cylinders, as Pete Sampras learned, swept away, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, in 2000 US Open final. Marat, 20 then, first Russian to win the title, appeared to have No. 1 wrapped up that year (won seven titles), but, unraveled at Masters, finished No. 2 behind Guga Kuerten. 

Blends speed, touch, power; however, moodiness can transform him into a headless horseman. A champion racket-smasher, he turned it all around, seeded No. 6 at Flushing during his title run. He turned pro in 1996 and made his first splash in beating Andre Agassi in the first round, defending champion Gustavo Kuerten in the second round at the 1998 French—made the fourth round. 

Born Jan. 27, 1980 in Moscow of tennis-teaching parentage—Mother, Rausa Islanova, coached him age 6-to-13, then sent him to Valencia, Spain to live under the tutelage Rafael Mensua. Sister Dinara Safina (born April 17, 1986) also world class, top female player, who earned the No. 1 ranking in 2009—making he and Dinara as the only brother-sister combination to earn the top world ranking (Dinara also reached 2008/2009 French and 2009 Australian singles finals). 

He was a mainstay as Russia won first Davis Cup in 2002, beating France, 3-2 in the final. He was 6-1 singles, 2-2 doubles; won decisive singles over Michel Kratochvil, Switzerland, David Nalbandian, Argentina; and beat Paul-Henri Mathieu, Sebastian Grosjean in the final. Also beat Jose Acasuso of Argentina 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5) in fifth and decisive match to help Russia win the 2006 Cup in Moscow. 

He lost the Australian final in 2002 to Tom Johansson, but rebounded in Melbourne in 2005, beating world No. 1 Roger Federer in semifinal, saving a match point in the 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 9-7 win. Beat Lleyton Hewitt for the title, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. He made the semi-finals of the French, 2002 and the quarterfinals in 2000; He reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, 2001 and the semi-finals at the U.S.
in 2001. In 2008, he powered to an unexpected semi-final at Wimbledon, defeating Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic en route, losing to Federer. 

He won 15 singles (380-223 matches), two doubles pro career titles, $14,143,755 in prize money as of July, 2009 he was in the world’s Top 10: No. 2, 2000; No. 3, 2002 (No. 11, 2001).

MAJOR TITLES (2) — Australian, 2005, U.S. 2000.

- Bio Courtesy Bud Collins 

Began playing tennis at age six with his father, Misha, director of a small tennis club in Moscow, and mother, Rausa Islanova, who served as her son's coach from ages 6 to 13...Has a younger sister, Dinara Safina (born Apr. 27, 1986), who reached Roland Garros final and ranked a career-high No. 3 in 2008...A fan of Spartak, Moscow soccer team and NBA star Shaquille O'Neal...Spent most of his years as a youth (from age 13-19) and worked out with several Spanish players...Named ATP Newcomer of Year in 1998 and ATP Most Improved Player of Year in 2000...Has a 30-19 career Davis Cup record (20-15 in singles) in 21 ties and member of winning team in 2002 and '06...Profiled as a breakthrough performer in People Magazine's "Most Intriguing People" issue in Dec. 2000... Named "2000 Newcomer of the Year" at Laureus World Sports Awards in Monte-Carlo...In September 2007, spent 10 days climbing part of Cho Oyu, world's sixth-highest mountain in Himalayas.