Novak Djokovic, who is eyeing a record 25th Grand Slam title, looks likely to need to beat either Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz or both at the business end of the Australian Open.
Even as Marat Safin prepares to take the plunge come December, rediff.com takes a look at a few other tennis stars who have entered the political arena.
Marat Safin has been fined $2,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct during his first-round win over American Vince Spadea at the U.S. Open, the International Tennis Federation said on Thursday.
Former World No. 1 Dinara Safina has no chance of making a comeback from injury and will soon announce her retirement, according to big brother Marat Safin.
Marat Safin's swan song hit another sour note at the Montreal Masters with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 first round defeat by Frenchman Gael Monfils on Monday.
Unseeded Alejandro Tabilo beat twice champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday to maintain a remarkable 100 percent record win record over the 24-times major winner.
Twenty four time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic closed the 2023 ATP season by clinching the year-end No. 1 spot for a record-extending eighth time.
'Of course I am happy to reach No. 1. It was my goal since I was young and especially my goal in the latest times.'
Factbox on Daniil Medvedev, who defeated world number one Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the US Open final on Sunday to win his first Grand Slam title.
Former world number one and double Grand Slam title winner Marat Safin became the latest Russian tennis player to confirm he intends to run for his country's parliament.
Former world number one Marat Safin of Russia has been granted a wildcard for the Monte Carlo Masters.
Tennis ace Leander Paes said Russia would be a tough opponent in next month's Davis Cup World Group tie but India are capable of defeating any side in the world in the prestigious team competition.
Russia are the overwhelming favourites when they host Argentina in this weekend's Davis Cup final.
Rohan Bopanna and Max Mirnyi beat Mikhail Youzhny and Mischa Zverev 6-3, 6-4 to move into the quarterfinals of the St Petersburg Open.
Former champion and world number two Novak Djokovic was knocked out of the Sony Ericsson Open on Friday, falling 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 to Belgian Olivier Rochus in his opening match.
Former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson of Sweden on Friday announced his retirement from competitive tennis at the age of 34.
Medvedev whips Dimitrov to enter US Open final
Russia's Nikolay Davydenko hopes his dazzling displays to win the ATP World Tour Finals title will finally allow him to step out of the shadow of compatriot Marat Safin who retired this month.
Marat Safin, widely regarded as one of the most gifted players of his generation, brought down the curtain on a chequered career when he bowed out to US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in the Paris Masters.
Former world number one Marat Safin ended his playing career with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 defeat by US Open champion Juan Martin del Porto at the Paris Masters on Wednesday.
Marat Safin has come up with an instant remedy to help Andre Agassi clear his conscience after his admission that he lied about using drugs - hand back the millions of dollars he made in prize money.
Former world number one Marat Safin, in his final tournament before retiring, squeezed past French qualifier Thierry Ascione 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 in a Paris Masters first-round match on Monday. The gifted but erratic Russian, who has been hampered by injuries in recent years and has dropped out of the top 50, was made to work hard against a player ranked 168th in the world.
Marat Safin, just a few weeks short of retirement, knocked out top seed Nikolay Davydenko 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in a high-profile first-round tie between the two Russians at the Kremlin Cup on Wednesday.
Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova and Dominik Hrbaty ripped up the form book to win the Hopman Cup with victory over Russia in Perth on Friday.
Marat Safin bid farewell to his adoring Chinese fans after defeat at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday but not before taking a swipe at his opponent Tomas Berdych and American Andy Roddick.
World number two Rafa Nadal stopped Marat Safin's Beijing revival in its tracks on Friday with a clinical 6-3, 6-1 victory to reach the semi-finals of the $6.6-million China Open.
Former champion Marat Safin's grand slam career came to an end when he punched a backhand into the net to end a two-hour, 13-minute match, going down to Austrian Juergen Melzer in the first-round on Wednesday.
Marat Safin threw a protective arm around his little sister Dinara on Wednesday after the Russian world number one was slammed for her wobbly performance in the first round of the US Open.
Top seed Andy Murray cruised into the St Petersburg Open final with a 6-0, 6-3 thrashing of Spaniard Fernando Verdasco on Saturday.
Italian Simone Bolelli upset local favourite Nicolas Almagro 7-6, 6-1 at the Madrid Masters on Monday.
Roger Federer will complete his preparations for next year's Australian Open at the Kooyong Classic.
Marat Safin laid into the "stupid rules" of tennis after a controversial foot-fault call almost derailed his progress into the second round of the US Open.
Also lining-up for the September 24-30 ATP event are Marcos Baghdatis and Richard Gasquet.
Marat Safin lifted the evening gloom at Wimbledon as he beat Italy's Andreas Seppi 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 and reach the last 16.
Marat Safin brought Lleyton Hewitt down to earth on Tuesday when he won the battle of the former world number ones by beating him 6-4, 7-5 in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters.
Serbia's Ana Ivanovic claimed her first grand slam title with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Russia's Dinara Safina in the French Open final on Saturday.
The Swiss, dreaming of capturing the only Grand Slam title to have eluded him, was drawn on Friday in the same half as several dangerous opponents, including former champion Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Keen player and avid fan Boris Yeltsin is responsible f or making tennis popular in Russia.
Roger Federer stayed on track for a record-equalling 14th Grand Slam title when he swatted aside former champion Marat Safin in the third round. The anticipated clash of tennis juggernauts failed to materialise as the Swiss totally dominated the match between former world number ones to win 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 under floodlights.
Roger Federer set up a juicy third round clash with former Australian Open champion Marat Safin after finally subduing a stubborn Evgeny Korolev 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday.
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