MANILA, Philippines - Marat Safin, the two-time Grand Slam champion from Russia, is in the same boat with Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.
The winner of the 2002 US Open and 2005 Australian Open is one of the few athletes who have ventured into politics.
Safin, now 35 and in Manila to play for the Japan Warriors in the IPTL, was elected to the Russian Parliament, as member of Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party.
After his match against Carlos Moya of the Singapore Slammers the other night, one which the 6-foot-4 Russian lost, 6-4, he faced the media.
Safin talked about the frustration of failing to deliver for his team. Then a question was thrown at him concerning Pacquiao.
The 36-year-old boxing icon is wrapping up his second term as congressman and will seek a seat in the Philippine senate in the May elections.
Safin seemed to be aware of what Pacquiao has been doing.
“Good luck to Manny,” said Safin, who in 2000 stood as the world’s No.1 tennis player.
“Just don’t hit anybody in the senate,” Safin joked.
“In my opinion he’s doing the right thing. He can even be more effective than me. He can deliver things to the people the right way. He can deliver a lot of things,” said Safin.
Safin also served as official of the Russian Tennis Federation and has become a member of the Russian Olympic Committee after his Grand Slam years.
He knows what public service is all about, saying it’s all about respect.