Safin vs. Sampras, Safin Prevails again

Safin beat Sampras, 6-4, 3-6 (10-6) in the "Millennium Challenge," an exhibition match on the opening day of the Los Angeles Tennis Open at UCLA's Los Angeles Tennis Center on Monday.

It was a rematch of the 2000 U.S. Open final, where Safin beat Sampras, the L.A. Open tournament honoree, to earn the first of his two Grand Slam titles.

Pete Sampras can still serve more than 120 miles per hour and challenges calls as if they mattered, but in the end, as in 2000, Marat Safin prevailed.

"We're kind of looking backwards, and it's really a warm feeling when [you have] an achievement like beating Sampras in the final of U.S. Open," said Safin.

The Russian also won the doubles first round with Igor Kunitsyn agianst Marcus Baghdatis and Dudi Sela, 6-7, 6-2, 11-9.

Marat is scheduled to play Ginepri in the evening session on Tuesday 28th.

Safin upset, Murray advances in St. Petersburg

Defending champion Andy Murray beat Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-2 Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the St. Petersburg Open, while eighth-seeded Marat Safin was upset in the second round.

Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan beat Safin 6-4, 6-2 to advance to his first career quarterfinal.

Safin, the 31st-ranked Russian who has twice won the tournament, had trouble on his serve, winning only 15 of 51 returned points.

The 150th-ranked Golubev, who reached the second round of the U.S. Open in September, broke Safin in the fifth game of the first set but double-faulted three times in the next game to drop serve and stay level at 3-3.

In the ninth game, Safin saved three break points with aces but was broken on the third deuce, and Golubev served for the set.

"The second break in the first set was a decisive one," Safin said. "He became confident and it was much more difficult to play against him. In fact, I didn't have many chances in the second set."

Golubev won five consecutive games for a 5-1 lead in the second set.

"I knew he would be playing his best tennis today," Safin said. "He had nothing to lose and played with no problems. No matter how I tried, it was his day today."

The big Russian, who won here in 2000 and 2001, was outhit and outplayed by the 150th-ranked Golubev.

The slightly-built Kazakh, who has played mainly on a Challenger circuit and has won only three ATP matches in his career until this week, also fired more aces, seven to Safin's five.

"He (Golubev) totally deserved his victory," Safin told reporters. "He served better than me, was more consistent from the baseline and made less mistakes."

Golubev, born in Russia before switching his alliance to Kazakhstan, said: "Marat was my hero when I was growing up. It was my dream to play him and I couldn't even imagine beating him."

Later today, Marat Safin and Igor Kunitsyn were beaten by R. Bopanna and M. Mirnyi in the doubles.

Marat safin dominates st. Petersburg court

Marat safin won his first round in St. Petersburg in singles and doubles with Igor kunitsyn.

Marat beat sykhofsky 6 - 2, 6-4 in straight sets today on center court.

Cheers for the Runner up Marat Safin

Safin, seeded seventh and bidding to claim his first title in almost four years, reached the final without hitting a ball when his semi-final opponent, German Mischa Zverev, withdrew with illness on Saturday.

The big Russian has not tasted success since winning the Australian Open in January 2005.

''I have only myself to blame,'' said Safin, who also lost to compatriot Nikolay Davydenko in the 2006 final in Moscow.

''If I had won the first set, it would have been a different story but he gained confidence as the match went on, played well in the end and deserved his victory.''

Marat Safin became the runner up of the Kremlin cup today!
Congratulations to the Finalist our beloved Marat Safin.

Safin was beaten by Kunitsyn 6 -7, 7-6, 3-6 in kremlin cup Final.

Reaching a final match is a goal achieved for Marat Safin after 3 disappointing years.

Keep it up:)

Hot Russian Girls Pop group "Blestyaschie" celebrating the final

SAFIN TO FACE KUNITSYN IN FINAL OF KREMLIN CUP

Marat Safin and Igor Kunitsyn will meet for the title at the Kremlin Cup on Sunday after both Russians posted semifinal wins on Saturday.

The seventh-seeded Safin was a walkover winner against Moscow-born German Mischa Zverev, who was unable to play because of an illness, while Kunitsyn notched a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over France's Fabrice Santoro.

Safin, who beat fellow Russian and two-time defending Moscow champion Nikolay Davydenko in the quarterfinals on Friday, will play in the final of this event for the second time in three years. He lost to Davydenko in 2006.

The former world No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion hasn't won a tournament since capturing the last of his 15 titles at the 2005 Australian OpenHe was a surprise semifinalist this year at Wimbledon and is currently ranked 40th.

Kunitsyn, ranked 71st, will play in ATP final for the first time in his career. The 27-year-old native of Vladivostok twice was a semifinalist earlier this year and previously reached the semis of this event in 2005 and 2006.

Safin is 3-0 lifetime against Kunitsyn, including a 6-4, 6-3 triumph in the semifinals of this event two years ago.

The 2008 Moscow champ will collect a first prize of $171,000.

Marat Safin reached the final of Kremlin cup, Moscow

Safin's first Final of the year is finally here:)

Marat safin reached the final of The Kremlin cup in his homeland.

11.10.2008 Misha Zverev retired from the semifinals of the “Kremlin Cup”-2008

The semifinalist Misha Zverev retired from the tournament for health problems!

Therefore Marat Safin walks over to the final and awaits the winner of Fabrice Santoro and Igor Kunitsyn.

Marat Safin autograph session on 11.10.2008