- Russian tennis player. His best ranking was number 1 on the world.(2000)
- He was born in Moscow.
- Lives in Monte-Carlo (Monaco)
- Has a younger sister, Dinara (also an elite tennis player)
- Older brother of Dinara Safina
- Coached by former ATP pro Peter Lundgren of Sweden (since May 2004) who was also the former coach of Roger Federer.
- 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
- A fan of Spartak, Moscow soccer team and NBA star 'Shaquille O'Neal (I)'
- Named ATP Newcomer of Year in 1998 and ATP Most Improved Player of Year in 2000
- Trains part of season in Valencia where he spent most of his years as a youth (from age 13-19) and works out with several Spanish players
- One of only 7 people to have beaten Roger Federer
- Beat Pete Sampras in 2000 at the age of 20 at his first ever Open, the U.S. Open
- Won his second Grand slam title at the Australian Open in January 2005. He beat Lleyton Hewitt in the final.
- Is of the ethnicity - Tatar, a small Muslim ethnic group residing in the Russian Federation. Is a known Tatar in the major sports of Russia along with fellow Tatar and Muslim and soccer phenom Marat Izmailov.
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