This Day in History: Safin’s Stunning Journey to No. 1
The unpredictable talent clinched seven titles in just eight months to claim the top ranking for the first time.
November 20, 2025
Photo Credit: Patrick Hertzog/AFP via Getty Images
Marat Safin demonstrating his prowess during the 2000 Rolex Paris Masters, winning the trophy and becoming World No. 1.
By Andy West
While Marat Safin’s career might have seemed defined by brief flashes of brilliance, the 2000 ATP Tour season marked a turning point where his exceptional talent consistently shone.
Between April and November 2000, Safin secured seven of his 15 career ATP titles. This extraordinary feat was surprising for a 20-year-old who had begun his third full Tour year with a rocky start, only to turn the tide and achieve the historic milestone of becoming the 18th player to reach No. 1 in PIF ATP Rankings on November 20.
Starting the year with just 5 wins in his first 16 matches, he entered the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell ranked No. 35. However, a series of six victorious matches later saw him lifting his second ATP title, defeating Top 10 stars Nicolas Lapentti and Magnus Norman, plus home favorite Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final.
This triumph in Catalonia not only catapulted Safin into the Top 20 but also sparked a transformation in his mental game. A week later, he added another clay-court title in Mallorca, followed by reaching his second ATP Masters 1000 final in Hamburg and winning his first title at that level in Toronto in early August.
In September, in a breathtaking display, Safin defeated Pete Sampras in straight sets to secure his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open. He rounded out the year by adding hard-court titles in Tashkent and St. Petersburg, as well as another Masters 1000 title on indoor carpet in Paris, culminating in a remarkable 68-16 record from Barcelona onward.
After climbing to No. 2 post-US Open, Safin’s Paris triumph ultimately secured his ascent to the top. At 20 years and 10 months, he became the youngest player to achieve a top ranking in the PIF ATP Rankings, a record that would soon be surpassed by Lleyton Hewitt (2001) and later Carlos Alcaraz (2022).
While approaching the Nitto ATP Finals (then known as the Tennis Masters Cup), Safin needed to win three matches to ensure his position as the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF. However, losses to Sampras in the group stage and Agassi in the semi-finals allowed Gustavo Kuerten to take the title. Nevertheless, Safin’s journey to No. 1 remains one of ATP’s most extraordinary comebacks, one that even astonished him.
“It was quite strange for me to reach No. 1 and then be there,” Safin told ATPTour.com, reflecting on his experience. “Just a few months earlier, I never imagined I’d have the chance to become No. 1. I was struggling, feeling like I was falling, and surprisingly underestimated my potential.”
