Safin will be the first Russian in the Tennis Hall of Fame in the United States

“Justine and Marat worked hard to become top-level champions. As a result, they have had extraordinary careers, becoming world No. 1s and winning Grand Slam titles,” Smith said in a statement. “They are rightfully a source of national pride in Belgium and Russia, and we look forward to welcoming them as the first representatives of their countries to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.”

Marat Safin won the US Open in 2000, and five years later repeated his success at the Australian Open. In addition, as part of the Russian national team, Safin twice won the Davis Team Cup (in 2002 and 2006).

In total, Safina won the 15 tournaments of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in singles.

“Actually, this came as a huge surprise,” the agency quotes Safin as saying. TASS. “It’s just incredible when your achievements in tennis are recognized, it’s an honor for me.”

According to Safin, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Elena Dementieva deserve to be included in the International Tennis Hall of Russian athletes.

Kafelnikov, also a winner of two Grand Slam tournaments, was the first Russian to lead the world rankings and an Olympic champion, while Dementieva became the first - and so far only - Olympic champion among Russian tennis players.

“Of course, I would be very pleased if it were Yevgeny Kafelnikov,” he said. “Without a doubt, he deserves it.” I think Dementiev deserves it too. These two people have done a lot of good for world tennis, including from the Russian point of view.”

It is noteworthy that among the candidates for the Tennis Hall of Fame, Marat Safin did not name five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova, who this week found herself at the center of a doping scandal.

Как reported by ForumDaily Earlier, Sharapova admitted that at the Australian Open in January, she had found the drug mildronat, banned from January this year on 1, in her body.

A tennis player who has been taking this drug for 10 for years, says she didn’t know about the changes in anti-doping rules, because she didn’t open the e-mail notification message.

Despite the fact that there has not yet been an official announcement about the period of disqualification of the highest paid female athlete in the world, several large sponsors one after another suspended cooperation with her. Among them are Nike, Porsche and TAG Heuer.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who now holds the post of vice-president of the Russian Tennis Federation, criticized Sharapova immediately after the news of doping.

“Such a “STAMP” will remain forever!!! — Kafelnikov wrote in Twitter (the author's spelling and punctuation have been preserved). — Our Masha was sick all these 10 years and took this “medicine”? What then is the diagnosis? Tell me, gentlemen, doctors, please?

Mildronate is reportedly prescribed primarily for heart disease, including chronic heart failure. However, it is also popular among athletes, as it increases the body’s performance and endurance during exercise.

Medication produced in Latvia widely distributed in Russia and several neighboring countries. In the US, where Maria Sharapova lives with 7 for years, mildronate is not certified by regulators and, accordingly, is not sold in pharmacies and is not prescribed by doctors.

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