Dinara Safina is a Russian professional tennis player of Tatar origins. She was born in Moscow, USSR (now Russia), where she currently lives. She is the younger sister of tennis player, former world number one Marat Safin. She is coached by Glen Schaap, former trainer of Nadia Petrova. Her mother, Rauza Islanova used to be her trainer when she was younger but still gives advices to Dinara. Dinara Safina's father is director of the Spartak tennis club in Moscow.
Tennis Career
On July 29, 2002, she entered into the top 100. She also won her first WTA title in Sopot, beating Nagyova and becoming youngest Tour champion in four years and first qualifier to win a title in three years. In the same year, she defeated a top 20 player (Silvia Farina Elia) who was seeded 14, for the first time in Moscow, at the age of 16.
On July 14, 2003, she broke into the top 50. She won her second WTA title over Katarina Srebotnik in Palermo. In that season as well, she reached fourth round at the 2003 US Open and also reached the quarterfinals at Doha, Sopot and Shanghai. She beat defending champion Magdalena Maleeva, in Moscow.
At the 2004 Australian Open, Safina upset Amanda Coetzer of South Africa before losing to Kim Clijsters of Belgium. For the first time, Dinara finished the year in the Top 50, and reached third career final at Luxembourg where she lost against Alicia Molik.
Dinara Safina won her biggest career singles title at Paris [Indoors],beating Amelie Mauresmo . Partnering Elena Dementieva, she won the decisive doubles rubber in the Fed cup final in 2005. She stunned World No. 1 Maria Sharapova in the QF of the 2005 Kremlin Cup, winning 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.
In 2006, Safina reached the tier I Rome final by defeating top 10 players Kim Clijsters, Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova, beaten only by resurgent Martina Hingis 6-2, 7-5.
At the 2006 French Open, Safina made the quarterfinals for the first time in her career. In the fourth round, she beat number four seed Maria Sharapova 7-5, 2-6, 7-5. In the third set, she trailed 1-5 but managed to pull the upset after almost 21/2 hours of play.
To kick off the grass season, following her strong performance on clay, she reached her first grass court final at the Ordina Open, losing to Michaella Krajicek 6-3, 6-4.
During the 2006 US Open, she again reached a grand slam quarterfinal, this time losing soundly to Amelie Mauresmo. She met larger success in doubles, where she reached the final with partner Katarina Srebotnik.
Safina reached two finals, two semifinals, and nine quarterfinals in 2006.
In her first tournament of 2007, Safina fought her way through to the finals of a Tier III event at Gold Coast, Australia. She beat the number-one-seeded Martina Hingis in that final 6-3 3-6 7-5 for her first WTA Tour Title since May of 2005. This win also saw her rise into the world's top-ten.
Dinara Safina
Dinara Safina
Dinara Safina
Dinara Safina
Dinara Safina
Dinara Safina
Dinara Safina
Dinara Safina
Dinara Safina
Dinara Safina
Dinara Safina
Dinara Safina
[HL] Venus Williams v. Dinara Safina 2009 Wimbledon [SF]
Dinara Safina vs. Dominika Cibulkova 2009 RG Highlights