Marat Safin: From the Sublime to the Ridiculous

Former World No. 1 Marat Safin is currently on his farewell tour, as the charismatic Russian announced, that this will be his last season.

In the last two tournaments that Safin has played, the Masters 1000 events in Miami and Monte Carlo, he managed to crash out early in both events, when he was leading 5-2 in the final set in Miami against Gael Monflis, and 4-0 in the final set in Monte Carlo against Nicolas Lapentti.

As we draw nearer to the day that Safin finally hangs up his racket, I thought it would be fitting to look back at some of the finest performances, from the tallest-ever world number 1 against two of the greatest players ever to play the game.

In 2000, a 20-year-old Safin fought his way through the draw at the US Open and found himself in the final of the last Grand Slam of the year.

His reward for reaching the championship match was a showdown with Pete Sampras, who had become the most prolific Grand Slam Winner of all time.

Even though Safin had beaten Sampras for the first time a few weeks earlier in a tight match in the Masters Series event in Montreal, there was no doubt that Sampras was the favourite to beat Safin and win his 14th Grand Slam title.

Safin may have been playing in his first-ever Grand Slam Final but he played with the courage and conviction of someone playing in his 10th championship match.

The Russian was firing winners from all corners of the court and was serving with pace and accuracy that Sampras himself would have been proud of. Sampras, in the end, had no answer as Safin emerged a comfortable winner 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

The way in which Safin cruised past Sampras to claim his first Grand Slam title, suggested to many that the Russian was likely to be the heir to Sampras throne and win multiple Grand Slam titles.

Indeed, Sampras said after his defeat to Safin in the final that the Russian was the future of tennis.

Injuries and perhaps a suspect temperament prevented Safin from dominating the men's game, as so many thought he would following that breathtaking display in the 2000 US Open final.

Safin did produce some consistent performances, and appeared on course to secure his second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2002. However, he lost in the final to Sweden's Thomas Johansson.

Two years later, Safin once again reached the Australian Open Final but on this occasion he lost out to Roger Federer in straight sets.

Federer's 2004 Australian Open triumph was his second Grand Slam victory, and he would go onto to add more majors to his tally that year.

When Safin and Federer met in the Australian Open Semi Final, while many expected a competitive match, the reality was the two men's careers appeared to be heading in very different directions.

Federer was the undisputed World No. 1 and appeared on course to break all all the major records in the game, while Safin seemed destined to finish as a "One Slam wonder."

Just like at the US Open Final in 2000, Safin had scant regard for the reputation of the man on the other side of the net. The Russian fought back from two sets to one down, and saved a match point to send the contest into a fifth and deciding set.

The fifth set was like two heavyweight boxers slugging it out; it truly was awesome power hitting from these two champions, but in the end it was Safin who upset the odds and Federer to claim the match 9-7 in the fifth set.

It was an epic victory and arguably the greatest performance of his career. Safin would go onto to defeat Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in the final to claim the second Grand Slam title of his career.

While many believe that Safin has underachieved given his immense title, his two Grand Slam titles have come five years apart, in two different tennis eras and he has beaten two of the game's greatest-ever players.

Safin has had a remarkable career and these two triumphs were two of the main highlights especially given the nature of the opposition that he was up against and the stage that he was playing on.

The Russian will truly be missed when he does finally retire at the end of the year, all the remains to be said, is it has been a pleasure to watch you Marat, it has been an incredible roller coaster ride, thank you for the memories Marat.