Named for the famous revolutionary who was stabbed in the bath, Marat Safin was about as talented and powerful as anyone that has played tennis. While the he earned a handful of good results on the tour, like defeating Sampras in the 2000 US Open and briefly claiming the #1 ranking, the rumor was that he spent too much time satisfying his female fans. Though charming off-court, he was known for angry outbursts on court and claims to have smashed over a thousand racquets. He once played the Hopman Cup, "sporting a bandaged right thumb, two black eyes, a blood-filled left eye, and a cut near his right eye, all suffered in a fight several weeks earlier in Moscow."

So he's well prepared for a life in Russian politics.

Marat Safin Reveals His Plans for His Future

When he announced that he was going to retire and then played his way through a farewell season, Marat Safin would not reveal what he would do after he hung up his racquets. Many thought he might go into business, a few thought he might take up coaching, but pretty much no-one had any idea that he would enter politics.

But that is what he has done. The former world number one and winner of the Australian and US Opens and a member of Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party, won a seat in the Duma, Russia’s parliament, during last Sunday’s elections. He will represent the Nyzhny Novgorod region, approximately 500k (310 miles) from Moscow.