Young Safin is awesome. Seven years later he beat Federer in Melbourne in one of my most favourite matches of all time. He won the US Open, he claimed World Number 1. Safin is a true champion

Safin was the forerunner of today's top pros. 6 foot 4, powerful first serve, cracked the ball from both sides and mobile around the court. He would have fit right in as a top player today. The only difference is that none of today's top players are as pretty as he was. 😁

I actually really like this format, uploading old matches with the current scoreboard, keep it up rg!

I miss Marat! Was a big fan of his from the beginning. Saw him twice at Wimbledon.

Underrated clay courter Marat. He also beat the defending champion Kuerten in this tournament.

Marat Safin's first ever main draw Grand Slam match! What a display!

Marat Safin was extremely talented... still spectacular!!

Safin was hammering his backhand as usual. His game was from the future

These guys were playing absolutely out of their minds!! This is clay, a surface that is renowned for being so slow, yet they're making it look like they're playing on a hard court.

I never know that Safin can move this well on clay! He looked so handsome, talented, and very attractive at young age; that’s why i named my son, Safin 😂

Да, это была почти сенсация, когда в следующем круге он предыдущего победителя Роланд Гарроса Куэртена обыграл так же в 5 сетах, удивились все, это было невероятно.

I love how both Agassi and Safin served so quickly, no messing around. Not like today, with bloody Nadal and Djoko bouncing the ball 26 times before they serve. Tennis is too slow nowadays.

What a player safin was when the mood hit him,he beat everyone from Agassi to Sampras to Federer to djorkovic and won 2 slams and 5 master 1000 but injuries and a good time meant talent wise he was a big underachiever but still great to watch on his day.

Safin later said this was his first big break. It's great to see what he meant! He was only 18 here!

Clash of tennis titans. Wish these guys met more often in tournaments back in the day. Thanks for posting! Love that there are no commentators. Pure tennis.

When they played this match, tsitsipas wasn't even born

I remember this match, I was so gutted...but luckily, Andre didn't know that yet, but 12 months later at the same place, he won the most meaningful GS of his amazing career :D.

The good old days of tennis, when you won a match, shook hands and sat down in the chair. Now it's waving to all four stands, blowing kisses, taking bows . . . after winning 1, 1, and 1 in the first round. This was Marat's first win in his first Slam, beating Agassi, who had already won three Slams.

Damn Marat is gorgeous.

Agassi's forehand is one of the best ever. It's like an explosion

Safin looks lika a model

Safin is the only player to defeat Agassi in a 5 Set Match at two different Grand Slams.

Ca fait longtemps que je voulais voir ce match en entier ! Merci !

Safin was an absolute unit during his career. Physically/body type , I don’t think there is any player that resembles him currently or after he retired.

If Safin is as focus and driven as Nadal, Federer, or Djokovic, he would be the undisputed GOAT. When he is at his best, he is better than anyone at their best. Unfortunately for Tennis, he was not an ambitious tennis player.

Two of the best two sided player’s ever,forehand and backhand win shots

I was a huge fan of Marat, I've played with the Head Prestige for years and years. Marat was such a classy player, in particular his serve, he moves as if he wants to get over with it as fast as possible, toss and hit in a split second, and even with that sort of indifferent approach he had a massive serve, showing off just how talented he was

Safin & Kournikova both had similar drive-backhands, so clean, flat, and just shocked everyone. Of course, both were also insanely hot!

Punishing match. No messing around with service here...........straight into it from both of them. Safin was a powerhouse and shot maker who could cover the court

Along with the Pro staff, two of the best player's rackets ever made.

Marat Safin for me was a great player with good and nice drive, colossal service. Player with great style and class, with more than enough potential to have been No. 1 much longer, but without the patience and mental consistency so necessary to be so. As a Spaniard I preferred that he win in his confrontations with Juan Carlos Ferrero because he was a very stylish tennis player. For me the forms are far above the pure result, I prefer a spectacular and stylish tennis player, technically speaking, to the resulting tennis player, consistent, but tremendously boring, in the style of for example Mats Wilander (and forgive me for the good Mats).

two great hitters like this make the tennis court seem like a ping pong table.

Safin in that grey Adidas sweatshirt was how we all dressed in 1998

OMG i'm so shocked by the sound of rackets from back then. you can tell they were playing ultra low tension strings. now it pops loud even on small impact because of synthetic/poly strings. incredible difference. i don't remember it was that different.

Youth is a wonderful treasure to have and experience.

Thank you for this match!

This was the tournament when Safin entered the stage, with a couple of big 5-sets wins.

Marat is handsome....Goddamn HUNK!!!💪💪💪👏👏👏

Agassi was just unreal. If he'd have really wanted, he could have shattered records and left a legacy much harder to surmount.

I remember seeing Safin play with kafelnikov in doubles just prior to this match in Davis Cup in atlanta. I felt sorry for safin, I thought kafelnikov was gonna kill him. What a way to come back

Marat is so handsome ....

The Sound of Agassi's forehand is insane

The hottest Marat... love love love

One of the last two hands grip technic in Marat performance.

My gawd, Safin was so hot when he was young. Well, he still is but back then he looked like one of those Greek statues. 😍

Mille merci .

Two of the most bad ass 2 handers ever.

Anyone with even just a mild knowledge of tennis rackets would immediately know AA is using his original racket the Prince Graphite. You can paint that racket any color you want, but you can’t hide the distinctive crossbar in the throat. Funny nowadays it’s becoming more and more rare for a pro, especially the highly ranked ones, to actually use the racket they are supposedly “Endorsing”. They’re really just endorsing the consumers rackets paint job.

I remember 1998 before the match begings, i play this match in my brain against the wall and my agassi win this fantasy match in 5 sets!!!

Marat Safin is sooo hot!

Merci!

safin good looking

The ball just explodes of Safin’s racket. Effortless power.

Хорошо бы выложить матч Сафин -Куэртен Roland-Garros 1998

Маратка молодой конечно машина был,всё доставал,физики хватало,великолепный матч!

When you feel pissed that you bought actually a one or two sizes bigger t-shirt, just watch this match...

The sound isn't working properly. Safin/Agassi were my favourite players back then. Safin more so because he was such a mecurial player. Never boring to watch. Won a 2 slams should have won more tbh

55:27 interesting detail, Agassi dropped a ball from his pocket before Safin hit and missed his shot, but the point was awarded to Agassi

Safin looks like a yummy cake here

Crazy. He was 18 here

MARAT WAS 🔥🔥🔥

Agassi playing with the HEAD (Prince) Graphite 110 hahahaha

Hello Is it possible or available to see next to end the match on youtube?? Thank you Best regards

seems like a lot of you forgot how great and fast and powerful tennis was in that era.

Es posible que suban ese partido de octavos de final de Safin vs Naldanbian en 2004? Fue un partidazo también.

That was great. Another great one from that year would be Moya Vs Rio. Or next year's Agassi Vs Moya :)

AA with the Prince Graphite and the Head stencil. Kool.

it is amazing to think that Agassi, who lost in the first round here, would then go on to win the French Open 1999... Safin showed why he was a star at this point; he could have won multiple grand slams though...

I highly believe that these two and Sampras in their prime are equal to the big three.

When Safin came out he was a revelation. Def the prototype for the now modern player and he hit the snot outta the ball, Agassi (not in 97 to mid 98 mind you) but he was the cleanest striker of the ball on tour and Safin had him off his pins almost every shot! Agassi was in improv mode fighting gravity and poor balance the entire match which is a testament to Agassi's devastating hand eye and amazing technique just to hang in.

At 42:07 guy is reading a book-in the front row! Great tennis action, go for it shots, Safin moves like he's on glass. A timeless classic, like a movie, snippets of a time gone by.

Safin, Ferrero, Roddick and Federer were called Big 4 young guns in the early 2000s. They actually are players from the same generation. Funny how Hewitt was not included in this mix. This Safin struggled against Federer which shows how frighteningly good Federer was at his best. Federer is a little underrated because of his losses late in his career v Djokovic, but during his prime, he was just on another level. Pity Safin didn't remain consistent and failed to make his rivalry v Federer a little closer. Safin was a bit of a wasted talent, IMHO.

Today's, the match would certainly one of marquee matches, but at that time, while Agassi was well known, Safin was just another no hope qualifiers about to be easily dispatched by Agassi by most spectators.

off top of my head, biggest what ifs due to injuries/sickness or mental issues ...Rios, Safin, DelPo and Soderling. Feel free to add to the list....

Who watched this match live in 1998?

Hopefully its full match

Marat so cute)

The guy from A-ha can really play.

Marathon clobbered the ball but had enough spun to keep it in. Miss he playing style

Божил было дело. В 2000-ном я был в шоке когда он Сампраса в финале US уделал.

Legends

15:30 the look of disgust on the ball girl's face when Agassi farmer blows right in front of her onto the clay.

Wow this was a first round match...

Did Agassi just put a rubber band as a dampener on his racquet in beginning of the video?

Según cuenta Agassi en su libro, en ese momento tenía exacerbado pinzamiento en su hombro derecho, sin embargo fue un buen partido; Safin se ve jugando suelto

They look so young

At the end of this the match I was on the limit of despair...I thought to myself: " This time it might be It for Andre" Fortunately he proved me wrong big time

What were their ATP rankings at this time？

Two of the greatest backhands of all time

Showtime on RG stage. D 2 most talented baseliner ever ladies n' gentlemen just 4 yr watching pleasure ☆☆☆☆☆

please upload Agassi V Sampras 1992 QF

Amazing Only 10 Players From 1998 - 2023.. Have Won French Open Singles..

It so fun to watch i don't feel sleepy at all. It's not fair nowadays they have 20 seconds break before a serve. who wants to watch u bounce a ball like 100 times before u serve. or asking for towel break all the time. that makes tennis so boring to watch nowadays unless watching federer or serena play.

Il manque la moitié du 2ème set ! Half of the 2nd set is missing !

Agassi's real weapon of choice 0:45

Weird to hear Marat grunting!

They were wearing a watch when they played grand slam and I don't even wear my watch when I go to work

Gilbert Schaller beat Safin in qualifying in Prague a month before this match... god job !

love Marat's serve

Safin cleaned up Agassi and Kuerten in 2 matches. Not bad eh.