 17th
of Sep. 2000
Safin takes President's Cup
10th
of Sep. 2000
Russian
wins US Open
6th
of August 2000
Safin lifts the trophy
19th
of July 2000
Marat Safin rallies to...
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10.09.2000 Vienna, Austria
U.S. Open champion Marat Safin suffered further disappointment
after a first round exit at the Olympics last month, by
losing to unfancied Frenchman Nicolas Escude at the CA-Trophy
on Monday.
In his first appearance since the defeat at the Sydney
Games to another Frenchman, Fabrice Santoro, the top seeded
Russian bowed out of the opening round in Vienna's Stadthalle
5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).
Safin's early exit is yet another blow for tournament
organizers, who had last-minute cancellations from Pete
Sampras and Australia's Lleyton Hewitt.
Although Safin is second in the Champions' Race and has
already assured himself a place in the inaugural Tennis
Masters Cup in Lisbon, he was upset at having missed earning
points in Vienna.
"I wanted to earn points here to fight for the number
one spot," he said. "My next goal is to be number one.
I would like to tell my kids I was the best player in
the world, even if just for one week.
"It's important to always have another goal. The U.S.
Open title was not the end of my career, it marked the
beginning of it. I have enough motivation in me for the
rest of my life."
After the Sydney debacle, which came directly after his
maiden Grand Slam triumph and a fifth season title at
Tashkent, Safin took two weeks off to relax.
"It's hard to get back into the game after a break. Escude
played really well," said Safin, adding the Frenchman
had pressured him by launching full attacks on his second
serves.
The 20-year-old Safin claimed the first set of a three
and a half hour match by hammering down a forehand to
break for 6-5.
Visibly shocked by Escude's challenge, Safin dropped serve
twice in the fourth and sixth games mainly due to imprecise
shots and first serve misses. He lost the set despite
reducing the deficit to 5-2.
The pair exchanged breaks three times and Safin fought
off a match point to level 5-5 but was defeated 7-5 in
the tiebreak.
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10.05.2000
Marat will play in the Stadthalle Open in Vienna, Austria.
The Stadthalle Open will be from 9 - 15 October 2000.
Indoor: Hard, Singles Draw: 32, Prize money: $800,000.
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Marat
is on the cover of the
British tennis magazine ACE. Also Marat is
on the cover of the
American Tennis Week magazine
September 21, 2000 |
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09.21.2000
Marat Safin, Sampras and Kuerten qualify for Lisbon
It has been a week to remember for Marat Safin, the recently
crowned US Open champion. Following his back-to-back titles
in New York and the President's Cup in Tashkent, the 20-year-old
Russian has become the new ATP Champions Race 2000 leader
and one of three men to secure places in the Tennis Masters
Cup - Lisboa.
Safin and Roland Garros winner Gustavo Kuerten join Sampras
as qualifiers for the prestigious eight-man year-end championships,
which begin in Portugal on November 28.
Safin, with 639 points, is 247 points ahead of the player
currently in ninth position, Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Winners
of the most critical events of the fall, the Tennis Masters
Series events in Stuttgart (beginning October 30) and
Paris (November 13), will earn 100 points each.
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09.21.2000 Sydney, Australia
Marat SAFIN and Yevgeny KAFELNIKOV lost to duo ADAMS/DE
JAGER of RSA. in the second round in the doubles 6-3,
3-6, 7-9.
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09.20.2000 Sydney, Australia
Top-seed Marat Safin of Russia was eliminated from the
Olympic tennis tournament in the first round on Wednesday
by Fabrice Santoro of France. Santoro, who had won all
four of their previous meetings,defeated the U.S. Open
champion 1-6 6-1 6-4.
Safin, shock straight-sets winner over Pete Sampras in
the U.S. Open final 10 days ago, fell 1-6 6-1 6-4 to Santoro,
who now has a 5-0 career record against him.
The 20-year-old Russian, arriving late in Sydney weary
from a hectic travel schedule, could not have dreamed
of a more threatening first-round opponent.
After his famous victory in New York, the world number
two headed straight for Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to play
in the President's Cup tournament, winning the final there
on Sunday before racing to Sydney for the Games.
Faced with his nemesis first up at Olympic Park, Safin
was again undone by the deceptive Frenchman, a master
of disguise and change of pace. Santoro, 27, reached match
point when Safin sent an overhead shot long and then clinched
the upset after his service return clipped the netcord.
The Russian could do nothing but set up the Frenchman
for an easy forehand passing shot.
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09.17.2000 Sydney, Australia
U.S. Open champion Marat Safin was seeded first at Friday's
draw for the Olympic tennis tournament, while American
duo Lindsay Davenport and Venus Williams topped the women's
seedings.
Marat Safin, coming off a straight-sets demolition of
Pete Sampras in the U.S. Open final, begins the tournament
against France's Fabrice Santoro in a quarter of the draw
that could match him against Briton Tim Henman, seeded
seventh, in the quarterfinals.
In the first round in doubles Marat SAFINand Yevgeny KAFELNIKOV
will face duo Barry COWAN and Kyle SPENCER of Great Britain.
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09.17.2000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan - President's Cup
After conquering the world's best at the U.S. Open, Russia's
Marat Safin appears ready to capture Olympic gold in Sydney.
Safin geared up for his trek to Australia by capturing
his second straight ATP Tour title today at the $525,000
President's Cup tennis event.
Seeded second, Safin extended his winning streak to 12
matches by defeating unseeded Davide Sanguinetti of Italy,
6-3, 6-4, and capture an ATP Tour-leading fifth
title of the year.
"I came here to win," Safin said. "It is one step forward
where nobody's better than me, at least for one week.
It means I'm a good professional player."
After capturing his first Grand Slam title one week ago
in New York, Safin battled jet lag early in this tournament
and overcame a sore shoulder throughout the week to claim
his sixth career singles title and a first prize of $70,000.
The 20-year-old Safin continued his remarkable season
turnaround after starting off 5-11. He has won 24 of his
last 26 matches and is 57-21 overall. Today's victory
moved him past U.S. Open runner-up Pete Sampras atop ATP
Champions Race 2000 and second in the entry system rankings.
"At the end of the year, the Race and the ESP (Entry System)
are more or less the same," Safin said. "I have a good
chance to be No. 1 in both."
Safin will travel to Sydney, Australia to play singles
and doubles at the Olympics. He is the top seed in the
men's singles draw and will face Frenchman Fabrice Santoro,
who has beaten the Russian in their four previous meetings.
"Sydney is a very tough draw for me," the Russian said.
"The first round is a very tough player for me. He plays
tennis I don't like. But I will try to beat him for once
in my life."
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09.16.2000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan - President's Cup
Second-seeded Russian Marat Safin, who is coming off his
first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open, continued to
cruise as he moved into the final at the $500,000 President's
Cup tennis tournament Saturday.Safin crushed George Bastl
of Switzerland, 6-2, 6-2. Facing Safin in the final will
be Italian Davide Sanguinetti.
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09.15.2000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan - President's Cup
U.S. Open champion Marat Safin of Russia reached the semis
with a 6-4, 6-4 victory Jamie Delgado of Britain.
Safin said his game wasn't at its best. "It is difficult
to show the tennis that I played in the U.S. Open all
the time," he said.
On Saturday, Safin will play George Bastl of Switzerland,
who eliminated Andrei Stoliarov of Russia 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
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09.14.2000
Tashkent, Uzbekistan - President's Cup
Yevgeny Kafelnikov will have some extra time to get to
Australia for the Olympics after making a second-round
exit today in the $525,000 President's Cup hardcourt tennis
event. Kafelnikov, scheduled to pair with newly crowned
U.S. Open champion Marat Safin on the Russian doubles
team at Sydney, lost to Davide Sanguinetti of Italy, 7-5,
6-3.
The loss continues a disappointing year for Kafelnikov,
who is still searching for his first title of the year
and is trying to qualify for the season-ending Masters
Cup in Lisbon, Portugal.
Kafelnikov won at least three titles per year for six
straight seasons but lost in the third round of the U.S.
Open and has not reached a semifinal since June. Safin
is scheduled to play singles and doubles at Sydney, but
will stay in Uzbekistan for at least one more day after
defeating Michel Kratochvil of Switzerland, 4-6, 6-1,
6-3.
Safin, seeded second, made the long trip here after claiming
his first career Grand Slam title in New York on Sunday.
He became the first Russian to win the U.S. Open with
a dominant straight-sets victory over 13-time Grand Slam
winner Pete Sampras.
The 20-year-old Safin is tied with four others for the
ATP Tour lead with four titles. He also won at Barcelona,
Mallorca and the Tennis Masters Series event in Toronto.
His win on Sunday put him third on the ATP Champions Race
2000 leaderboard and No. 2 on the entry system rankings.
Next up for Safin is Jamie Delgado of Britain, who was
leading Stephane Huet, 6-1, 2-0, when his French opponent
retired with a back injury. American Justin Gimelstob
defeated eighth-seed Harel Levy of Israel, 6-4, 6-3 in
today's other second-round match.
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09.13.2000
Tashkent, Uzbekistan - President's Cup
Newly crowned U.S. Open champion Marat Safinknew all eyes
would be on him as he took the court for his first-round
match today at the $525,000 President's Cup hardcourt
tennis event. He did not disappoint. Safin, seeded second,
was victorious in his first match since claiming his first
career Grand Slam title in New York on Sunday. The 20-year-old
Russian defeated Tashkent resident Oleg Ogorodov, 6-4,
6-4, but admitted he was not completely focused on today's
match. "It was quite tough," Safin said. "But I was expecting
it after this long flight. It was very difficult to be
ready for this match." Safin became the first Russian
to win the U.S. Open with a dominant straight-sets victory
over 13-time Grand Slam winner Pete Sampras. He knows
the expectations are high for him to do well this week.
"You have to show people you are the winner of the U.S.
Open, and they (fans) expect a lot from you," Safin said.
"It's very important for me (to do well)." The 20-year-old
Safin is tied with four others for the ATP Tour lead with
four titles. He also won at Barcelona, Mallorca and the
Tennis Masters Series event in Toronto. His win on Sunday
put him third on the ATP Champions Race 2000 leaderboard
and No. 2 on the entry system rankings. Next up for Safin
on Thursday will be Michel Kratochvil of Switzerland,
who advanced to the second round on Tuesday.
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09.11.2000
Tashkent, Uzbekistan - President's Cup
President's Cup will be in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 11-17
Sep. 2000 Surface: Plexipave , Draw: 32 , Prize Money:
$525,000.00
Marat Safin will play in the first round against Oleg
Ogodorov (UZB).
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09.10.2000
New-York, USA - US Open
YES!!! MARAT IS THE WINNER!!!
 Sixth-seeded
Marat Safin of Russia, playing in his first Grand Slam
final, won the 2000 US Open men's singles championship
Sunday as he handily defeated No. 4 seed Pete Sampras
of the United States 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 before a capacity
crowd of 23,115 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The 20-year-old Safin becomes the first Russian to win
the US Open men's singles title. Safin's previous best
US Open result was a fourth round finish in 1998. His
previous best in a Grand Slam was a quarterfinal result
at Roland Garros this year.
Safin played a solid baseline game from start to finish
against Sampras who could not display the form that brought
him 13 career Grand Slam titles. Safin, whose serve was
not broken once during the one hour and 38-minute match,
hit 36 winners and broke Sampras' serve once in each set.
Safin saved both break points Sampras held on his serve.
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09.09.2000
New-York, USA - US Open
The 2000 US Open final will be a battle of generations
when 20-year-old Russian Marat Safin takes on 29-year-old
Pete Sampras, who aims at his fifth US Open title. On
"Super Saturday", Safin defeated Todd Martin 6-3, 7-6(4),
7-6(1), and Sampras overcame the challenge of young Australian
Lleyton Hewitt 7-6(7), 6-4, 7-6(5).
It will be the third meeting between these two, both having
scored one win. Sampras won their first encounter at Flushing
Meadows two years ago, easily defeating Safin 6-4, 6-3,
6-2 in the fourth round. Safin gained his revenge at the
Tennis Masters Series Canada a few weeks ago, ousting
Pete Sampras in a close quarterfinal match 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(8)
after saving two match points.
Sampras enters the match with the experience of 15 Grand
Slam finals and 13 titles, while Toronto was Safin's first
major title.
Apart from their age and experience, the styles of Safin
and Sampras are also diverse: Sampras, one of the greatest
players ever, has a classical style, a strong serve and
volley game, but can also dominate ralleys with his impressive
forehand. Safin prefers to stay back, he puts his opponents
under pressure with his powerful groundstrokes. He volleys
well, however, and has an enormous reach at the net.
In the semis, Safin's powerful baseline tennis was just
too much for Todd Martin, who tried to attack the net
as often as possible, but was regularly passed by the
young Russian. 1999 finalist Martin, who staged one of
the comebacks of the tournament against Carlos Moya earlier
this week, managed to come back from being down a break
in all three sets, but lacked the consistency to counter
Safin's power tennis.
Safin was arguably the fitter player and clearly dominated
the decisive situations, especially the tie-breaks in
the second and third sets. "I was tired," Martin admitted.
"But even if I had been at 100 percent the score could
still have been the same."
"It nice to be in the final," Safin commented. "But one
thing is still missing: I want to win here."
Pete Sampras had to ovcercome the quick legs und the impressive
energy of Lleyton Hewitt. The young Australian got off
to the better start, holding his first service games with
ease, while Sampras had to save a break point in the third
game. Leading 5-4, Sampras failed to convert three set
points, and Hewitt saved another set point at 5-6 with
a forehand passing shot. In the tie-break, Hewitt had
a set point on his own serve, but hit an easy forehand
wide, and
Sampras took the set 7-6(7). Sampras eased through the
second set with an impressive performance, but in the
beginning of the third set, Hewitt took advantage when
Sampras' concentration lapsed for a moment and took a
4-1 lead. Sampras, however, came back, and won the third
set tie-break 7-6(5).
"Being an American it feels great to be in the final,"
Sampras said. "It is not going to be an easy match. Marat
is a great player with a great game."
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09.07.2000
New-York, USA - US Open
Sixth seed Marat Safin ends Nicolas Kiefer's hopes of
reaching his first career semifinal berth at a major Thursday.
Safin defeats the German 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 at the
U.S. Open quarterfinals to become only the third Russian
to reach an Open semifinal.
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09.05.2000
New-York, USA - US Open
Marat Safin of Russia overpowered 12th-seeded Spaniard
Juan Carlos Ferrero on Tuesday to storm into the quarterfinals
of the U.S. Open tennis championships. Safin, who needed
five sets to get through his two previous matches, crushed
his good friend Ferrero 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 on Arthur Ashe Stadium
court in one hour and 23 minutes. The sixth seed belted
14 aces and saved all four break points he faced in the
brief encounter with Ferrero. In the quarterfinals, Safin
will take on 14th-seeded German Nicolas Kiefer, who upset
third seed Magnus Norman of Sweden 6-2, 6-7, 6-1, 6-3
earlier Tuesday.
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09.04.2000
New-York, USA - US Open
Sixth-seeded Marat Safin got through two rain delays to
eliminate Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean 6-4, 7-6 (3), 1-6,
3-6, 7-5 (5) in a third round match on Arthur Ashe Stadium
on a rainy afternoon. Safin won the first two sets, but
let the lead slip away as Grosjean rallied to tie the
match at two sets all. With Safin serving at 4-4, 30-15,
play was suspended at approximately 2 p.m. due to a torrential
downpour. When play resumed, Safin and Grosjean each held
serve and force a fifth-set tiebreak. With Grosjean serving
at 4-5 in the tiebreak, rain once again began to fall
and play was suspended a second time. At 5:27 p.m., Safin
and Grosjean returned to the court and played three points
to complete the match as Grosjean's last shot landed wide.
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09.02.2000
New-York, USA - US Open
In the first round Marat beat Thierry Guardiola (FRA )
7-5, 6-7(5-7), 6-4, 6-4. In the second round Marat
beat Gianluca Pozzi (ITA) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
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08.20.2000
Indianapolis, Indiana USA - RCA Championships
In the final Marat lost Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) 3-6,
7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2).
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08.16.2000
Indianapolis, Indiana USA - RCA Championships
In the second roundMarat beat Harel Levy (ISR) 6-4, 6-2.
---------
Marat Safin and Albert Costa (ESP) lost in doubles 6-4,
6-4 to duo Massimo Bertolini (ITA) and Cristian Brandi
(ITA).
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08.14.2000
Indianapolis, Indiana USA - RCA Championships
Marat Safin is number 3 in this tournament. In the second
round he will play the winner of the game between Harel
Levy(ISR) and Mariano Zabaleta (ARG).
Marat Safin and Albert Costa (ESP) will play in doubles
against duo Massimo Bertolini (ITA) and Cristian Brandi(ITA).
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08.10.2000
Cincinnati, USA
Fabrice Santoro (FRA) def. Marat Safin (8) 6-1, 7-6 (7-3)
in the third round of Masters Series in Cincinnati USA.
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M.BARNARD and C.HAGGARD def. M.SAFIN and V.VOLTCHKOV 6-4
6-4 in the first round in doubles.
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08.09.2000
Cincinnati, USA
Marat Safin beat Francisco Clavet (ESP) 7-6(9-7), 6-3
in the second round of Tennis Master Series in Cincinnnati,
USA.
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08.08.2000
Cincinnati, USA
Marat Safin beat Neville Godwin (RSA) 7-5, 6-3 in the
first round of Tennis Master Series in Cincinnnati, USA.
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07.08.2000
Cincinnati, USA
Marat Safin (8) will play the first roud against Neville
Godwin (RSA) . Also Marat is playing with Alexander Voltchkov
(BLR) in doubles. They will play against Marius Barnard
(RSA) and Chris Haggard (RSA) in the Tennis Master Series,
Cicinnati, USA.
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07.08.2000
Cincinnati, USA
Marat Safin (8) is playing in Cincinnati, USA
in the Tennis Master Series, from August 7 to August 13,
2000.
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06.08.2000
Toronto, Canada
YES!!! MARAT IS THE WINNER!!!
Marat Safin ended Harel Levy's surprising run at the Tennis
Masters Series-Canada tournament, overpowering the Israeli
qualifier 6-2, 6-3 Sunday for the title. Safin needed
only 54 minutes, not including two brief rain delays,
to pick up his first Masters Series tournament victory
and the $400,000 winner's check.
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04.08.2000
Toronto, Canada
Marat Safin beat Pete Sampras (USA) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(8)
in the quarterfinal of Tennis Master Series in Toronto,
Canada.
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03.08.2000
Toronto, Canada
Marat Safin beat Nicolas Escude (FRA) 3-2 (retired)
in the third round of Tennis Master Series in Toronto,
Canada.
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02.08.2000
Toronto, Canada
Marat Safin beat Andrei Pavel (ROM) 6-7(5-7), 6-3, 6-0
in the second round of Tennis Master Series in Toronto,
Canada.
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01.08.2000
Toronto, Canada
Marat Safin beat Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
in the first round of Tennis Master Series in Toronto,
Canada.
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31.07.2000
Toronto, Canada
Marat Safin (8) is playing in Toronto, Canada
in the Tennis Master Series, from July 31 to August 6,
2000.
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A
familiar Russian Davis Cup duo of former world number
one Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin(8) playing both
singles and doubles at theSydney Olympic Games 2000.
(from September 19 to September 28, 2000.)
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27.07.2000
Kitzbuhel Austria
Marat Safin(3) was beaten today by Augustin Calleri (ARG)
4-6, 6(4)-7.
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21.07.2000
Stuttgart, Mercedes Cup 2000
Marat Safin and Magnus Norman lost second round in doubles
to Lucas Arnold (ARG) and Donald Johnson (USA) 6-3, 3-6,
2-6.
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20.07.2000
Stuttgart, Mercedes Cup 2000
Third-seeded Marat Safin of Russia was beaten by Austria's
Andrew Ilie, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4).
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MercedesCup
2000 driving event: Top tennis stars put their foot down |
20.07.2000
- Stuttgart, Mercedes Cup 2000
Marat Safin (3) plays in the second round against Andrew
Ilie (AUS).
Marat Safin and Magnus Norman (SWE) play their second
round match against the duo Lucas Arnold (ARG) and Donald
Johnson (USA).
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19.07.2000.
Stuttgart, Germany
Marat Safin (3) playing well on clay this season, rallied
past Andrei Pavel of Romania 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. Wednesday
to reach the second round of the $1 million Mercedes Cup.Safin
was up a break and leading 5-2 when he lost the next five
games to drop the first set. He had a chance to serve
it out at 5-3, but double faults left the Russian a set
down. Safin, however, regrouped and easily won the next
two games.
Marat Safin and Magnus Norman won the first round in doubles
against Daniel Orsanic (BRA) and Jaime Oncins (ARG) 6-77
3-6 6-3.
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15.07.2000
Moscow, Russia
The new coach of Marat Safin is the Russian Alexander
Volkov.
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Players
help Tennis for Africa charity Items for an internet auction.
ATP Tour players Albert Costa, Patrick Rafter, Marat Safin,
Davide Sanguinetti and Laurence Tieleman all have donated
items for an internet auction to benefit the Tennis for
Africa charity. So far, more than US$7,000 have been collected
through this initiative, which will help the Raoul Follerau
hospital in Guinea Bissau to buy medicines and medical
instruments.
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06.29.2000
Moscow, Russia
Russian tennis player Marat Safin said on Thursday that
personal problems lead to his decision to part company
with coach Andrei Chesnokov.
Asked if the break-up was temporary Safin, ranked ninth
in the ATP Tour Champions' race, told the daily Sport-Express:
"No, I will no longer work with Andrei.
"But I would rather not go into the details. I will only
say that we experienced personal problems."
Safin, 20, struggled early in the year but won two ATP
titles in Barcelona and Mallorca and reached the final
in Hamburg after linking with Chesnokov in April.
He lost in the quarter-finals of the French Open to Magnus
Norman earlier this month.
Chesnokov, a former top 10 player himself, was quoted
in the newspaper Izvestia on Tuesday as saying: "We were
supposed to discuss our relationship after the French
Open but Marat suddenly left to prepare for Wimbledon.
It's fair to say that both parties just didn't find enough
time for each other."
Safin seeded 15th at Wimbledon, is working with Tony Pickard,
once the coach of former Wimbledon champion Stefan Edberg.
"I'm happy with my choice (of Pickard)," Safin said. "I
think it has been working well so far."
Safin was due to play Martin Damm of the Czech Republic
in the second round at Wimbledon on Thursday after beating
Galo Blanco of Spain in straight sets in the first round.
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06.29.2000
Moscow, Russia
Former top pro Andrei Chesnokov said, he is no longer
coaching Russia's Marat Safin.
"Our agreement called for me to coachSafin until he lost
at Roland Garros," Chesnokov was quoted as saying in the
newspaper Izvestia.
"We were supposed to discuss our relationship after (the
French Open) but Marat suddenly left to prepare for Wimbledon.
It's fair to say that both parties just didn't find enough
time for each other."
Safin, ranked ninth in the ATP Tour Champions' race, lost
to Swede Magnus Norman, ranked second, in the quarterfinals
of the French Open.
Marat Safin struggled early in the year but won two ATP
titles in Barcelona and Mallorca and reached the final
in Hamburg after linking with Chesnokov in April.
At the current Wimbledon championships , Marat Safin is
seeded 15th and is working with Tony Pickard, former coach
of Wimbledon champion Stefan Edberg.
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