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01/04/2001 Perth, Austrlaia, Hopman Cup
Marat Safinwill play the Colonial Classic tournament in
Kooyong, Australia. The Colonial Classic is from January
10 - 13, 2001.
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01/04/2001 Perth, Austrlaia, Hopman Cup
Russia defeated Slovakia, 2-1, in a Group B match on Thursday,
but had no chance of making the final after earlier losses
to the U.S. and Belgium.
M.Safin def. D.Hrbaty 6-3, 0-6, 6-4. K.Habsudova def.
E.Likhovsteva 6-7, 6-3, 3-6. Safin/Likhovsteva def. Hrbaty/Habsudova
6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4).
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01/03/2001 Perth, Austrlaia, Hopman Cup
Second seeds Russia have levelled their tie with the USA
in the Hyundai Hopman Cup teams tennis tournament at Perth's
Burswood Dome.
After a 2hr. 20min struggle, world No. 2Marat Safin finally
subdued American Jan-Michael Gambill, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, with
the tie-breaker going eight points to six after Safin
held a match point at 6-5. After missing that opportunity
the powerful Russian had to work through another tough
set before clinching the rubber on his fourth match point,
which was set up with his 17th ace for the game.
Earlier, former world No. 1 tennis player Monica Seles
got her adopted country off to a good start when the United
States of America won the first rubber against second
seeds Russia. Now ranked four, Seles dropped her opening
service game to Elena Likhovtseva and trailed 2-0, but
recovered to win six of the next seven games. She repeated
the scoreline in the second set to wrap up the match,
6-3, 6-3.
The mixed doubles will now follow to decide this match,
with the victorious nation looking on target for a finals
berth in the $1-million tournament.
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01/01/2001 Perth, Austrlaia, Hopman Cup
World No. 2 Marat Safin suffered a disastrous start to
the new season Monday when he was beaten by Olivier Rochus
in the Hopman Cup.Safin lost 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 to Rochus,
as Russia, making its debut in the mixed team competition,
was beaten by Belgium in the best-of-three tie. Kim Clijsters,
17, had given Belgium a 1-0 lead by defeating Russia's
Elena Likhovtseva 6-1, 6-4.
Safin, 20, had not played competitively since losing the
chance to finish last season as world No. 1 at the Masters
Cup in Lisbon in December. The U.S. Open champion took
a 3-1 lead in the deciding set, but Rochus, ranked 67th
in the world, won five games in a row to clinch victory.
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30/12/2000 Perth, Austrlaia, Hopman Cup
Open champion Marat Safin and Australian Open quarterfinalist
Elena Likhovtseva will meet Belgium team, led by Kim Clijsters
and Olivier Rochus. It is Russia's first appearance in
the event, though the former Soviet Union competed in
prior Hopman Cup tournaments.
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29/12/2000
U.S. Open championMarat Safin will compete for Russia
in the Hopman Cup mixed tennis tournament in Perth. A
$1million in prizemoney would be up for grabs. Tournament
director Paul McNamee said: "Safin has the tennis world
at his feet and he has a real opportunity to be the next
number one, as well as putting Russia's name on the Hopman
Cup for the first time." Safin, 20, who beat Pete Sampras
in this year's U.S. Open final, is ranked number two.
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12/18/2000 "ATP online Award Party"
As the finale to the 2000 men's tennis season, the ATP
will host the ATP awards at a party to be held on the
10th of March, 2001. Awards will take place in six categories.
Players will cast their votes for:- Most Improved Player
of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Comeback Player of
the Year and the Stefan Edberg Sportmanship Award.
Tennis fans will have the opportunity to vote themselves
for the winners of two of the categories:- New Balls Player
of the Year and Fan Vote. Voting will take place online
on this site and will commence in January 2001.
The online voting and the award party will be shown live
on the ATPtour.com. The nominees for the player voted
awards are:
- Most Improved Player of the Year
Arnaud Clement
Juan Carlos Ferrero
Lleyton Hewitt
Marat Safin
- Newcomer of the Year
Juan Ignacio Chela
Harel Levy
Olivier Rochus
Christophe Rochus
- Comeback Player of the Year
Sergi Bruguera
Younes El Aynaoui
Jerome Golmard
Patrick Rafter
- Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award
Alex Corretja
Gustavo Kuerten
Tim Henman
Patrick Rafter
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12/10/2000 Moscow, Russia
Marat Safinwon the "Russian Cup" for "Triumph of the Year".
Rausa Islanova, mother of Marat, won the "Russian Cup"
for "Coach of the Year".
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12/04/2000 Lisboa, Portugal
Marat Safinfinished Year 2000 as number 2.
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12/02/2000 Lisboa, Portugal
Andre Agassi beat Marat Safin 6-3, 6-3 in the Masters
Cup on Saturday to reach his second straight final in
the season-ending tournament.
Safintwisted his right ankle late in the first set but
Agassi was dominating the match even before the Russian's
injury. Agassi returned well, played consistently from
the baseline and dazzled the crowd with intelligent shot
making.
The defeat could cost Marat Safin the No. 1 ranking, if
Gustavo Kuerten beats Pete Sampras in the second semifinal
and goes on to beat Agassi in the final.
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12/01/2000 Lisboa, Portugal
American Pete Sampras beat Marat Safin, 6-3, 6-2, in Friday's
round-robin play at the season- ending $3.7 million Tennis
Masters Cup at Atlantic Pavilion.
Sampras broke Safin's powerful serve on three occasions
in the quick, 1-hour, 3-minute match. Sampras' serve was
not broken by Russian.
The third-seeded Sampras won the Red Group this week,
going 2-1 after opening his stay in Lisbon with a straight-set
loss against Australian teenager Lleyton Hewitt.
The top-seeded Safin also went 2-1 in the round-robin
portion of the event, as he and Sampras qualified for
Saturday's semifinals at the lucrative tournament. Failing
to advance from the Red Group were Hewitt (1-2) and Spaniard
Alex Corretja (1-2).
Sampras is playing his first tennis since losing badly
to Safin in the September 10 U.S. Open final. Since then,
Safin has become the No. 1 player in the world, while
Sampras married actress Bridgette Wilson. Safin and Gustavo
Kuerten are vying for the year-end world No. 1 ranking,
which Safin could have clinched with a victory over Sampras
on Friday. Instead, the currently No. 2 Kuerten is still
alive. "Guga" needs to defeat Yevgeny Kafelnikov on Friday
in order to keep his tournament title and No. 1 aspirations
intact.
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11/29/2000 Lisboa, Portugal
Marat Safin won the battle of the young guns with a 6-4,
6-4win over Australia's Lleyton Hewitt. Safin was too
strong for Hewitt from the outset, with a single break
of serve deciding matters in the first set. The second
set was closer, with Hewitt showing all the grip and determination
which has made him a fixture in the Champions Race top
ten.
Hewitt refused to buckle, running himself ragged to counteract
the raw power of Safin's groundstrokes, but to no avail.
Although Hewitt retrieved a break of serve to fight back
to 4-4 in the second set, Safin stepped up a gear to win
the next two games to take the match and a take the lead
in the Red Group.
Hewitt must now defeat Alex Corretja to have any chance
of getting through to the semifinals. Safin plays Pete
Sampras next.
The win has also helped Safin's chances of ending the
year in the No.1 spot of the ATP Champions Race. Gustavo
Kuerten is the only man who can stop him now, and would
need to win all his remaining matches in Lisbon to have
any chance of stopping the all-conquering Russian.
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11/28/2000 Lisboa, Portugal
Battling for the year-end No. 1 ranking, Safin rallied
after being down a set and a break to outduel Spain's
Alex Corretja, 6-7 (6-8), 7-5, 6-3, in today's first round-robin
match at the $3.7 million Tennis Masters Cup.
After losing the first set in a tiebreak, Safin found
himself down a break at 2-3 after he double-faulted on
break point.
Safin held at 3-5, but that left Corretja serving for
the match at 5-4. The Spaniard was unable to close out
Safin, though, as the Russian broke him at love to level
the set. Safin held for a 6-5 advantage, then broke Corretja
again in the 12th game to force a third set.
"My confidence and my concentration were completely gone,"
Safin said. "Alex served for the match and suddenly everything
just changed. He just let me play a little bit more and
let me get into the match."
With the momentum shifted in Safin's favor, he broke for
a 2-0 lead and held serve the next game to complete a
streak of seven straight games won. He made that one break
stand up as he served out the match in the ninth game
to close out the 2 1/2-hour match and extend his winning
streak to 11 matches.
"I was satisfied with my third set after those two horrible
sets," Safin said. "I finally found my game. It gives
me confidence, at least."
Participating in his first world championship, Safin is
battling Kuerten for the No. 1 ranking. Regardless of
how others do this week, the 20-year-old Russian only
needs to reach Sunday's final to become the youngest top-ranked
player ever and the first non-American since Sweden's
Stefan Edberg in 1991.
"It's enough motivation to play, but it's tough also,"
Safin said about playing for the No. 1 ranking. "Everybody
wants to beat you and you have to give all your best on
the court. I would like to finish No. 1 this year. It
would be great."
Safin has enjoyed a blockbuster year, winning his first
Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open in convincing fashion
over Sampras and collecting an ATP Tour-leading seven
titles. He is the only player to win two Tennis Masters
Series events (Toronto and Paris) this season.
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11/28/2000 Lisboa, Portugal
Safin, with a Tour-high of seven titles in 2000, including
his first Grand Slam (US Open) and two Tennis Masters
Series (Toronto, Paris) will instead be playing his first
round robin against Spain's Alex Corretja, who was the
tournament's champion in 1998. He has a 2:1 lead over
Corretja who has won five tournaments this year including
Tennis Masters Series Indian Wells.
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11/28/2000 Lisboa, Portugal
The draw for the 2000 Tennis Masters Cup - Lisboa promises
a mouthwatering feast of tennis in the round robin stage.
Marat Safin, Pete Sampras, Lleyton Hewitt and Alex Corretja
make up the red group. On the other side of the draw,
Gustavo Kuerten, Magnus Norman and Yevgeny Kafelnikov
and Andre Agassi make up the green group. The draw ensures
a reply of three of this year's Grand Slam finals, all
in the next four days. Safin, the current Champions Race
leader, and Pete Sampras, the defending champion will
replay their US Open final; Magnus Norman has the chance
to avenge his five set defeat at the hands of Gustavo
Kuerten in the Roland Garros final; and Andre Agassi and
Yevgeny Kafelnikov will turn back time to the start of
the season, when they last met in the Australian Open
title match. The Masters Cup will have to wait to see
Sampras and Andre Agassi lock horns again, while Safin
and Kuerten, currently in first and second place in the
Champions Race will be anxious to win their groups and
gain an advantage in the battle to end the year in the
top spot. The unique format of the Masters Cup means that
all the players in the Red Group within each group will
play each other in a round robin format. The player who
wins the most matches in the Red Group will play the second-placed
player in the Green Group in the semi-finals, and vice
versa.
RED GROUP
Marat Safin
Pete Sampras
Lleyton Hewitt
Alex Corretja
GREEN GROUP
Gustavo Kuerten
Magnus Norman
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Andre Agassi
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11/20/2000 MONACO
Marat Safin will be crowned the world No. 1 player in
men's tennis if he reaches the final of the season-ending
Tennis Masters Cup next week. Safin, the U.S. Open champion,
won his seventh title of the season on Sunday at the Paris
Masters to extend his lead in the ATP Champions Race to
75 points over Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten, a semifinalist
in Paris.
The losing finalist in the eight-player Lisbon event gets
100 points and the winner 150. So if they both reach the
final, Safin will be No. 1 whatever the result.
Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras, No. 1 from 1993 to 1998,
is third in the Champions Race, 147 points behind Safin
and still with a mathematical chance of taking top spot.
The eight players are divided into two groups of four.
Each victory in the round-robin stage earns 20 points
and the top two players in each group go forward to the
semifinals.
Andre Agassi, currently eighth in the Champions Race,
was world No. 1 last year.
If Safin or Kuerten succeed him this year they will be
the first non-American to take top spot since Sweden's
Stefan Edberg in 1991.
The Champions Race was introduced this year to replace
a 12-month rankings system that the ATP Tour felt was
confusing for fans and did not reflect which players were
in form.
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11/19/2000 Paris, France
Marat Safin is the WINNER
of Tennis Masters Series Paris in Paris, France.
Marat Safin of Russia enhanced his chances of ending the
year first in the ATP Tour Champions Race with a five-set
victory against Mark Philippoussis of Australia on Sunday
in the finals of the $2.95 million Tennis Masters Series
event.
Safin, who is ranked second, outlasted the 13th-seeded
Philippoussis 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (10-8). Each
player powered 22 aces, but Safin won the key points in
the tiebreaks including the final set and Philippoussis
committed nine double faults to just two by Safin.
Safin earned 100 points for the victory and doubled his
lead to 40 points against Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil in
the ATP Tour Champions Race 2000 rankings.
Safin also earned $434,000 for the tournament victory
a year after finishing second in the same event. He won
his second successive tournament and a circuit-leading
seventh title of the year in nine final appearances. Last
week he captured the St. Petersburg Open for his first
career indoor title and the first in his homeland.
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11/18/2000 Paris, France
Marat Safin, seeded second, defeated No. 12 Juan Carlos
Ferrero of Spain in 56 minutes, 6-2, 6-2.
He hit eight aces to Ferrero's two and broke the Spaniard's
serve five times. By reaching Sunday's final, Safin will
add to his 20-points lead over Kuerten in the ATP Tour
Champions Race 2000.
This week's winner will earn 100 ranking points and $434,000.
Last week the 20-year-old Russian captured the St. Petersburg
Open for his first career indoor title and the first on
his homeland. Safin, who was a runnerup here last year,
is seeking his seventh title of 2000.
Marat Safin will face Mark Philippoussis in Sunday's title
match.
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11/17/2000 Paris, France
Seeking his seventh title of the year, Marat Safin defeated
a Spanish opponent to gain a spot in Saturday's semifinals.
Seeded second, Safin posted his 69th match win of the
year by dispatching eighth seed Alex Corretja, 7-6 (7-5),
6-3.
In 1/2 finale Marat will play against J. C. Ferrero (ESP).
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11/16/2000 Paris, France
Second seed Marat Safin of Russia, battling for the year-end
No. 1 ranking moved one stop closer to that honor today.
Seeking his second straight ATP Tour title and seventh
this year, Safin defeated 16 seed Sebastien Grosjean of
France, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), to advance to the quarterfinals
of the $2.95 million Tennis Masters Series Paris event.
Safin, 20, the U.S. Open champion, passed Kuerten, the
French Open winner, in the rankings last week. He took
a 20-point lead in ATP Champions Race 2000 when he claimed
his tour-leading sixth title of the year at the St. Petersburg
Open on Sunday in his homeland. It was Safin's first career
indoor title.
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11/15/2000 Paris, France
Marat Safinthe U.S. Open champion trying to hold onto
the top spot in the world rankings, beat Swiss qualifier
George Bastl 7-5, 6-4 on Wednesday in the second round
of the Paris Masters.
"I'd like to say thank you very much,'' the 20-year-old
Russian said to the crowd. "I'm looking forward to
your helping me become the No. 1 in the world this week.''
Safin will face Frenchman Sebastian Grosjean on Thursday.
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11/14/2000 Paris, France
In the second round Marat Safin will play against George
Bastl (SUI).
---------
In the first round of doubles Marat Safin and Arnaud Di
Pasquale (FRA) lost to duo Nicolas Escude and Michael
Llodra of France 6-7(7-9), 2-6.
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11/13/2000 PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.
Marat Safin, coming off his first pro title in his native
Russia, has reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the ATP Champions
Race.
Safin ended Gustavo Kuerten's six-week reign on top with
two weeks remaining before the season-ending Tennis Masters
Cup in Portugal. Safin leads the Brazilian by 20 points.
Safin was No. 1 for two weeks in September after winning
the U.S. Open and a tournament the following week in Uzbekistan.
The St. Petersburg Open victory was his sixth title of
the year, the best on the tour.
"It's very nice to win a tournament in Russia and
especially become the leader here in the (points) race,''
Safin said. "It's great that it's a Russian guy who
has won more titles this year.''
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11/13/2000 Paris, France
Marat Safin is playing in the Tennis Masters Series Paris
in Paris, France. The Masters Series Paris is from 13-
19 November, 2000. Surface: Taraflex (indoor carpet).
Singles Draw: 48, Prizemoney: $2,950,000
Marat will play in the second round against the winner
of the match between the Michael Llodra (FRA) and George
Bastl from Switzerland.
Marat will also play in doubles with Arnaud Di Pasquale
(FRA). They will play in the first round against the Nicolas
Escude(FRA) and Michael Llodra (FRA).
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11/12/2000 St.Petersburg, Russia
Marat Safin is the WINNER
of St. Petersburg Open in St.Petersburg, Russia.
Marat Safin won his first professional title in his home
country, beating Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia 2-6, 6-4,
6-4 Sunday to capture the $800,000 St. Petersburg Open.
The top-seeded Safin recovered from a listless first set
to win a tournament for the sixth time this season. The
U.S. Open champion has overtaken Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten
for the No. 1 spot in the Champions Race. Kuerten lost
on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Lyon Grand Prix
in France.
Safin turned his game around in the second set after smashing
his racket and drawing a warning from the umpire. Down
3-1, he rallied to take the set 6-4. He kept to the baseline
in the third set and broke Hrbaty in the third game, comfortably
serving out the match. Overall, Safin had 14 aces to Hrbaty's
five.
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11/11/2000 St.Petersburg, Russia
Top-seeded Marat Safin, looking to finish the season ranked
No. 1 in the world, kept up his part of the bargain in
today's first semifinal, cruising past Sweden's Jonas
Bjorkman, 6-4, 6-4. Safin, who will overtake French Open
champion Gustavo Kuerten in the ATP Champions Race 2000
standings next week, advanced to his eighth final of the
season. He seeks his seventh career singles crown. The
20-year-old Russian has won five titles this year -- including
the U.S. Open in September -- and is tied with Magnus
Norman and Alex Corretja for the ATP Tour lead. Safin
and Hrbaty, who will be fighting for the first prize of
$109,000, have split six all-time meetings.
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11/10/2000 St.Petersburg, Russia
Top-seeded Marat Safin and No. 2 Yevgeny Kafelnikov advanced
to the semifinals of the $800,000 St. Petersburg Open
Friday, keeping alive hopes of an all-Russian final. Marat
Safin fstruggled to beat Rainer Schuettler of Germany
6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
Safin started slowly against Schuettler and had to fight
to win the first set. In the second set, Safin's game
deserted him completely. The U.S. Open champion repeatedly
hit easy balls long and lost his serve twice.
He also lost his cool, hitting a couple of balls into
the rafters in frustration and drawing a warning from
chair umpire Mohammed Lahyany. "I was just so frustrated
and got upset quickly," Safin said. "It felt like my game
was totally gone."
Safin is second behind Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten in the
world rankings. But Kuerten lost to Australia's Patrick
Rafter at Lyon, France, on Thursday, meaning Safin would
jump into the lead if he reaches the final at St. Petersburg.
This was little consolation to Safin. "The way I'm playing
right now is not the way a player ranked No. 1 plays,"
he said.
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11/09/2000 St.Petersburg, Russia
American Chris Woodruff met Russia's Marat Safin for the
first time in a tennis match Thursday. He may not want
to play him again any time soon.
Safin, the No. 1 seed in the St. Petersburg Open, won
the match swiftly and efficiently, disposing of Woodruff
in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1, to advance to the quarterfinals.
Safin's victory was impressive in that Woodruff is considered
a formidable opponent on the circuit, even though he has
not won a tournament.
The American has reached the quarterfinals four times
this year, including the Australian Open.
A semifinalist here last year, the 20-year-old Safin has
a goal to finish the year ranked No. 1 in the world. He
trails French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten by three points
in the ATP Champions Race.
Safin admitted on Wednesday he is thinking about the Champions
Race and pays close attention to Kuerten's results.
"Of course I follow what Kuerten does," he said. "It's
very exciting. We're all human. Every morning, I'm sure
he reads the newspapers. I do too. I won't lie to you.
I think it's about who gets scared first -- or who can
hold on the longest. I'm holding on strong."
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11/08/2000 St.Petersburg, Russia
U.S. Open champion Marat Safin of Russia today took a
first step toward finishing the year ranked No. 1 in the
world.
Safin, who trails French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten
by three points in the ATP Champions Race, posted a 7-6
(9-7), 6-1 victory over fellow Russian Igor Kornienko
in the first round of the $800,000 St. Petersburg Open
indoor tennis tournament.
The top seed Safin is getting another chance to win in
his home country. A semifinalist here last year, he lost
to David Prinosil in the semifinals of the Kremlin Cup
in his native Moscow two weeks ago.
Safin admitted he is thinking abot the Champions Race
and pays close attention To Kuerten's results.
"Of course I follow what Kuerten does," he said. "It's
very exciting. We're all human. Every morning, I'm sure
he reads the newspapers. I do too. I won't lie to you.
I think it's about who gets scared first -- or who can
hold on the longest. I'm holding on strong."
The 20-year-old Safin lost last week in the third round
at the Tennis Masters Series event in Stuttgart. He has
won five titles this season and is tied for the ATP Tour
lead with Sweden's Magnus Norman and Spain's Alex Corretja.
Today, Safin got a test from his unheralded opponent,
but cruised after surviving the tiebreaker in the first
set. "It wasn't unexpected," Safin said. "He was concentrating
in the first set and when he was serving, I couldn't break
him. Then his concentration dropped in the second set.
But even people ranked not so high, they're still good
tennis players."
--------
In the first round Marat Safin and Denis Golovanov (RUS)
lost to duo T.Cibulec/L.Friedl (CZE) 6-3, 3-6, 6-7(5).
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11/03/2000 Stuttgart, Germany
In doubles in the 1/4 finale Marat Safin and Goran Ivanisevic
(CRO) lost to duo Wayne Arthurs (AUS) & Nenad Zimonjic
(YUG) 4 - 6, 3 - 6.
|
11/02/2000 Stuttgart, Germany
A day after breaking a five-match losing streak to Fabrice
Santoro, top-seeded Marat Safin breaks another streak.
Greg Rusedski upsets Safin in straight sets , 7-6, 6-4,o
advance to the quarterfinals of the Stuttgart Masters
Series after Safin had won the previous two meetings.
After winning the first set in a tie-breaker, Rusedski
holds serve the entire second set.
--------
In doubles in the second round Marat Safin and Goran Ivanisevic
(CRO) beat duo S.Lareau/D.Nestor (CAN) 7/6(4) 4/6 6/3.
|
 11/01/2000
Marat Safin is on the cover of Tennis
Magazine (November 2000 issue). There is an extensive
article about Marat Safin.
... 'It's a bit humbling to have someone play that well,
for that long,' the five-time U.S. Open champ, Sampras,
said.
'He's going to win many major titles.'
That first major title officially landed Safin as a
household name among tennis watchers the world over.
And he arrived there through some high 'ups' and low
'downs,' from breaking 48 racquets in anger in 1999
to almost overnight changing his mindset to win the
Barcelona title this spring...
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11/01/2000 Stuttgart, Germany
Top-seeded Marat Safin finally beat Fabrice Santoro, downing
the Frenchman 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday to reach the third
round of the Stuttgart Masters Series.
``I didn't look at him, because when you look at him,
you forget to play tennis, for sure,'' Safin said. ``This
is the only player who can drive me crazy on the court
-- like he's done already for two years.''
Safin won the last four games to take the first set. He
dropped his serve in the third game of the second set,
but broke back in the next. He broke Santoro with a backhand
winner to win the match. ``I just tried to convince myself
that I have enough of a game and enough power to beat
him,'' Safin said. ``I have everything, it was just a
mental problem.'' ``I was really scared at the beginning
of the match,'' he added. ``My serve in the first game
didn't work. I couldn't run. I was very, very nervous.''
The 20-year-old Russian had never beaten Santoro in their
five previous matches, with Santoro winning all three
meetings this year, most recently at the Sydney Olympics.
Safin has won a tour-high five titles this year, including
the U.S. Open, his first Grand Slam.
--------
In doubles in the first round Marat Safinand Goran Ivanisevic
(CRO) beat duo N.Kulti/M.Tillstrom (SWE) 7-6(9-7), 6-4.
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10/30/2000 Stuttgart, Germany
Marat Safin is playing in the Tennis Masters Series in
Stuttgart, Germany. The Stuttgart Masters Series is from
30 October to 5 November, 2000 . Indoor: carpet; Singles
Draw: 48 Prizemoney: $2,450,000.
In the second round Marat Safin will play the winner between
G.Ivanisevic(CRO) / F.Santoro(FRA).
In doubles in the first round Marat Safin and Goran Ivanisevic
(CRO) will play against duo N.Kulti/ M.Tillstrom.
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10/28/2000 Moscow, Russia
Marat Safin won't go back to No. 1, and he'll have to
wait for his first pro title in his native Russia. The
U.S. Open winner wasted a chance to take over the top
spot in the ATP Champions Race by frittering away an early
lead Saturday and losing 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3 to David Prinosil
in the semifinals of the Kremlin Cup.
--------
In the 1/2 finale Marat Safin and Denis Golovanov (RUS)
lost to duo Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) and David Prinosil (GER)
4-6, 0-6.
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10/27/2000 Moscow, Russia
Russian Marat Safin, who has won the U.S. Open but never
a Russian pro tournament, downed Vladimir Voltchkov of
Belarus 7-6 (5), 6-1 Friday in the $2 million Kremlin
Cup.
The necessity for tiebreaker in the first set made it
look like the rest of the match might be difficult, Safin
cruised in the second set.
"He lost his concentration, while I was playing better,"
said Safin, who fired 16 aces in the second-round match.
Safin's semifinal opponent will be German David Prinosil,
a 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 7-6 (7-5) victor Friday against Sweden
Jonas Bjorkman.
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In the second round Denis Golovanov (RUS) and Marat Safin
beat duo of Sweden S. Aspelin and J. Landsberg 7/6(4),
3/6, 6/4
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10/26/2000 Moscow, Russia
In the second round of the Kremlin Cup, U.S. Open champion
Marat Safinclosed the first set against the Italian in
just 28 minutes, cruising on serves clocking faster than
120 mph, but Pozzi fought back in the second set. In the
end, Marat Safin won their second-round match 6-1,
7-5.
``He turned pro in 1984 and is playing old-fashioned tennis;
it was difficult for me to get used to him,'' the 20-year-old
Safin said of his 35-year-old opponent. ``I scared myself.''
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10/25/2000 Moscow, Russia
U.S. Open champion Marat Safin has earned world-wide acclaim
with his play this year. Now, the 20-year-old Safin has
earned a contract with a pivotal player on the world wide
web. The leading Russian-language Internet portal www.Port.ru,
announced today it has reached a multi-year agreement
to sponsor Safin.
"I'm pleased to join the leader in Russia's most dynamic
and progressive business sector," Safin said.
"I hope our relationship can expand an awareness of tennis
in Russia through the Internet and provide another way
for Russian fans to follow the sport."
The contract calls for Safin to promote the company on
and off the court. During this week's Kremlin Cup in Moscow,
Safin will sport a Port.ru patch on his sleeve and he
will speak today at a press conference for the company.
In addition, Safin will make appearances at www.Port.ru
corporate events, act as a spokesperson for the company
in Russian ad campaigns, participate in periodic chats
on the company's sports portal www.Sportnews.ru and provide
prizes such as autographed racquets or a chance to play
a match against him for sweepstakes conducted on the company's
sites.
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10/24/2000 Moscow, Russia
U.S. Open champion Marat Safin won before a home crowd
Tuesday, defeating Germany's Rainer Schuttler 6-4, 6-4
in the opening round of the $2.05 million Kremlin Cup.
- A first-round match is always the most important. It
is always difficult to step into a tournament,'' said
the top-seeded Safin, ranked No. 2 on the ATP Tour. Safin,
a hard server, fired seven aces and controlled the match.
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10/23/2000 Moscow, Russia
Denis Golovanov (RUS) and Marat Safin beat duo Yevgeny
Kafelnikov(RUS) and Nenad Zimonjic (YUG) in doubles, 6-4
,3-6, 7-6(5).
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10/20/2000 Moscow, Russia
Marat will play in the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, Russia.
The Kremlin Cup will be from 23 - 29 October 2000. Indoor:
Carpet, Singles Draw: 32, Prize money: $1,000,000.
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