Roman Safiullin is a Russian professional tennis player known for his achievements on the ATP Tour. As of January 8, 2024, he reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 36 and also achieved a doubles ranking of No. 207 on August 5, 2024
Roman Rishatovich Safiullin has made a splash at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. The 25-year-old from Russia has reached the fourth round at the All England Club, upsetting some higher-ranked opponents in the process. He defeated No. 14 seed Roberto Bautista Agut in a thrilling five-set match in the first round, followed by a straight-set win over Corentin Moutet in the second round.
In the third round, Roman then defeated Guido Pella, another former top 20 player, in straight sets. On Sunday he meets Denis Shapovalov, the tenth seed, in the round of 16. But who is Roman Safiullin and how did he get this position? Here are some facts about the rising Russian star making headlines at the big championship.
Early life
Roman Safiullin was born on August 7, 1997, in Podolsk, Russia. He is very close to his parents, Rishat and Elena Safiullin, who often accompany him to tournaments and support his tennis career. He also has a younger brother named Timur Safiullin.
Roman started playing tennis at the age of six and quickly showed his talent and passion for the sport. He attended Podolsk Sports School, where he trained with his father, Rishat Safiullin, who is also his coach. He also trained at the Spartak Tennis Club in Moscow, where he met and became friends with Andrey Rublev, another top Russian player.
Roman Safiullin career
Safiullin had a successful junior career, reaching 2nd place in the combined career rankings in May 2014. He won several prestigious junior titles including the Grade A Trofeo Bonfiglio in 2014 where he defeated Rublev in the final. His biggest junior success was winning the 2015 Australian Open boys’ singles title, where he defeated Hong Seong-chan in the final. He also represented Russia at the 2016 Summer Universiade, where he won the gold medal in the individual.
professional
Safiullin turned pro in 2015 and competed on the ITF Futures Tour, the lowest tier of professional tennis. He won his first future title in Turkey in 2016 and gradually climbed the rankings. He has competed on the ATP Challenger Tour, the second-highest level of professional tennis. Roman won his first Challenger title in Cherbourg, France, in 2020, both in singles and doubles with Pavel Kotov.
He played on the Challenger Tour for four seasons, from 2018 to 2021, and recorded nine singles titles and two doubles titles. He earned his ATP Tour card for the 2022 season by finishing runner-up at the 2022 LPGA Q-Series. The 2022 season is Safiullin’s debut season on the ATP Tour. Roman has competed in 15 events so far and made eight cuts. His best result was reaching his first ATP Tour semi-final in Marseille, France in February 2022.
He won his first top 10 match by defeating top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets. He also reached his first ATP Tour-level quarterfinals in May 2022 in Lyon, France. Roman made his Grand Slam debut at the 2021 Australian Open when he defeated Ilya Ivashka in the second round. He also qualified for the 2021 French Open, advancing to the second round with a win over Carlos Taberner. He qualified for his third Grand Slam at Wimbledon by winning a section qualifier at Roehampton in June.
Roman Safiullin Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Roman Rishatovich Safiullin |
| birth date | Aug 7, 1997 |
| Age | 27 years |
| Place of birth | Podolsk, Russia |
| Profession | tennis player |
| University | – |
| qualification | graduate |
Physical Statistics | |
| Height | in feet inches – 6′ 1” – in centimeters – 185 cm |
| Weight | in kilograms – 80kg – in pounds – 176 pounds |
| Hair color | light brown |
| eye color | Brown |
Roman Safiullin Family | |
| Father | Rishat Safiullin |
| Mother | Marina Safiullin |
| Sister | Julia Safiullin |
| Brother | – |
relationship status | |
| Marital status | Married |
| who is Roman Safiullin’s wife? | Liudmyla Safiullin |
| Children | none |
Personal life
Roman married his loving girlfriend Luidmyla Smolanova in November 2022 and she can often be seen in the player box cheering him on. Liudmyla is known for her remarkable talent as a professional dancer. Although no further information is provided about her dance career, her mastery of this art form adds an intriguing dimension to their connection, bridging the worlds of tennis and dance.
social media
Safiullin has a moderate presence on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter. He has over 8,000 followers on Instagram (@romansafiullin) where he shares photos and videos of his tennis journey, his family and friends, and his hobbies and interests. He has over 1,000 followers on Twitter (@RomanSafiullin) where he posts updates on his tennis results, his opinions on various topics, and his interactions with fellow tennis players and fans.
Roman Safiullin Net Worth
According to some sources, Russian professional tennis player Roman Safiullin’s net worth in 2023 is estimated at $1-5 million. He has earned $1,138,723 in total prize money in his tennis career so far. Roman is sponsored by HEAD Tennis, a sporting goods company, that provides him with racquets, apparel, and accessories. He also earns income through advertising, performing, and other ventures.