Mintimer Shaimiev received a star of world tennis Marat Safin in the Kazan Kremlin

President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev received today in the Kazan Kremlin the glorified tennis player, the deserved master of sports of Russia Marat Safin.

Career of the Russian tennis player began in the autumn of 2000. Just then he won Open USA championship. The same year he gained victories in eight tennis tournaments. In structure of national team in 2002 for the first time in history of Russia he won Davis Cup. One of the last major achievements of the tennis player is victory at the Open championship of Australia in January, this year. All in all the sportsman has won 15 single tournaments. Presently, he enters the world best 10 tennis players.

By words of Mintimer Shaimiev the desire to meet with world known tennis player has appeared since last. Marat Safin received the invitation to take part in the events devoted to the 1000 anniversary of Kazan but because of busy schedule he could not come to the capital of Tatarstan. President thanked the sportsman for the possibility to visit Kazan together with his father.

“Among all others we are in the first ten, it speaks about our rich human capital”, - he emphasized, - be not surprised, if through certain time in Tatarstan the major Russian, the CIS countries or international competitions on tennis would take place Today there is a good will to share out experience, to help, prompt, put development of tennis in our republic to a high level.

Having thanked the head of republic for the invitation and warm reception, Marat Safin noted, that he liked Kazan and its new objects. Today he viewed "Basket hall", Ice palace and children- youth sports school on tennis. The sportsman promised to take part in a life of sports school.