Safin's Surge from Slump to Summit in 2000
A 20-year-old Marat Safin turned early defeats into a torrent of titles, rising to No. 1 on November 20 amid the roar of crowds and the grind of unyielding rallies.
Marat Safin's career flickered with bursts of raw power and frustration, but the 2000 ATP Tour season fused those sparks into a steady blaze. The powerful right-hander, just 20, claimed seven of his 15 career titles between April and November, transforming a shaky start into one of tennis's most improbable ascents. On this day 25 years ago, he became the 18th player to reach No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, a climb that reshaped his self-doubt into unshakeable drive under the glare of packed stadia.
Barcelona breakthrough ignites momentum
Safin arrived at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell ranked No. 35, reeling from 11 losses in his first 16 matches that spring. Six straight wins on the red clay silenced doubters, with upsets over Top 10 stars Nicolas Lapentti and Magnus Norman paving the way to a gritty final victory against home favorite Juan Carlos Ferrero. That second ATP title vaulted him into the Top 20, the Catalan heat and fervent cheers forging a mental shift as he began trusting his thunderous inside-out forehands to carve through defensive walls.
One week later, he added a clay-court trophy in Mallorca, varying underspin backhands to disrupt returns and set up crosscourt winners. His run to the Hamburg Masters 1000 final sharpened transitions, blending aggressive baseline exchanges with occasional net rushes against grinders who thrived on longer points. These early triumphs built a foundation, the rhythm of clay rallies echoing his growing confidence as summer hard courts loomed.
“For me it was very strange in my experience reaching No. 1 and being No. 1,” Safin, who twice returned to top spot in 2001 and spent nine weeks there overall, told ATPTour.com. "I wasn’t ready for that because I couldn’t imagine just a few months earlier that I’d have the chance to become No. 1. I was Top 50, dropping, playing very badly. I underestimated myself… I didn’t believe in myself, and I was seeing myself weaker than others, which is unbelievable.”
US Open triumph fuels rankings chase
By August, Safin captured his first Masters 1000 title in Toronto, where hard-court pace amplified his one–two combinations of flat serves and deep forehands, wrong-footing opponents in decisive sets. This surge carried into September's New York spotlight, where he dismantled Pete Sampras in straight sets at the US Open, his kick serves neutralizing returns before crosscourt patterns pinned the legend deep. The Arthur Ashe Stadium pulsed with energy under night lights, the 20-year-old's maiden major erasing early ghosts and propelling him to No. 2, his 68-16 record from April onward a blend of tactical depth and emotional fire.
Hard-court wins in Tashkent and St. Petersburg followed, the medium-speed surfaces suiting his inside-in forehands that exploited angles for down-the-line finishes. Each victory layered points and poise, the humid air thick with anticipation as he closed in on the top spot. At 20 years and 10 months, his rise to No. 1 set a youth record later topped by Lleyton Hewitt in 2001 and Carlos Alcaraz in 2022, the math of rankings now tilting decisively in his favor.
Paris seals top spot before finals fade
The Paris Masters 1000 on indoor carpet delivered Safin's seventh title, the grippy surface boosting his serve's spin and enabling short-angle crosscourts to unravel defenders in tight exchanges. This 1,000-point haul on November 20 clinched No. 1, bridging gaps to rivals through sheer volume of elite results across clay, hard, and carpet. The echoing halls amplified his intensity, each thwack of ball on string a step toward conquering the inner pressures that once held him back.
Entering the Nitto ATP Finals—then the Tennis Masters Cup—he needed three wins for year-end No. 1 security, but a group-stage loss to Sampras and semifinal defeat to Agassi handed the honor to Gustavo Kuerten by a slim margin. The Lisbon hard courts, slick and unforgiving, tested his nerve amid fading hopes, yet the season's arc from mid-pack drifter to summit conqueror lingered. Safin's 2000 odyssey, rooted in adapted patterns like lifted backhands against topspin and aggressive returns on pace, hinted at a career poised for more volatile peaks, where self-belief could unlock even greater heights in the years ahead.
