Tennis: Safin joins old boys club in China

PARIS: Former world number one Marat Safin will make his ATP Champions Tour debut in Chengdu, China, from October 27. The Russian joins the sport’s old boys club. Safin, who retired as a professional in 2009 after winning two Grand Slam titles, joins fellow former world number one Pete Sampras at the Chengdu event with Mark Philippoussis, Carlos Moya, Thomas Enqvist, Paradorn Srichaphan and Wayne Ferreira completing the line-up. “The Chengdu Open is my first ATP Champions Tour event and I’m really looking forward to it,” said Safin. The Champions Tour features former professionals who are over the age of 30.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2011.