2007

Safin has played no warm-up tournaments in the run up to the Australian Open. As Safin was forced to miss the tournament in 2006 due to injury, 2007 was his first Australian Open since he captured the title in 2005. Safin played the first round against Germany's Benjamin Becker, defeating him in a 5 set battle, 5-7, 7-6(7-2), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Safin went on to beat Israeli qualifier Dudi Sela, from two sets to one down, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 7-6(7-4), 6-0. Safin has the dubious honour of never winning a match from two sets to love down, although he has lost matches from two set to love in front. However, he won the fifth set 6-0 to add to his list of many matches won from 2 sets to 1 behind. Safin played sixth seed Andy Roddick in the much anticipated third round match, and lost 6-7, 6-2, 4-6, 6-7 in a grueling 3-hour match. Roddick commented after the match, "With Marat you know you are going to get an emotional roller-coaster. You just have to try and focus on yourself and I was able to do that tonight." He later added jokingly: "And it doesn't help that he's nine feet tall". At Wimbledon, Safin reached the third round where he met Roger Federer, he lost the match 1-6, 4-6, 6-7(7-4).