The world No. 7 spent most his career with two otherworldly rivals. He is in that situation once again, with one beaten so ...

It happened back in 2002 when Marat Safin was taking on Thomas Johansson ... he’d come up against a fresh-faced Novak Djokovic, who was appearing at his first Grand Slam as a professional.

Novak Djokovic debuted at the Australian Open in 2005, passing the qualifying stage before falling to an eventual champion, Marat Safin. Two decaded later, Novak is the seventh seed in Melbourne ...

The first person to defeat Djokovic at the Australian Open was the first person to play him, Marat Safin dispatching the future nine-time champion in the first round of the 2005 tournament.

Marat Safin was struggling early on in the ... was a teenage Serbian making his debut at Melbourne Park - Novak Djokovic. Safin beat him in straight sets. In the semis, Safin saved a match point ...

R1 lost to Paul Goldstein 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 2008 F def.