Russian tennis player Marat Safin qualified for semifinals of Australian Open

Russian tennis player Marat Safin has easily qualified for the semifinals of the Australian Open which is being held in Melbourne.

The Russian, seeded as No.9, was declared the winner of the quarterfinal match after his opponent, 30-year-old South-African Weyne Ferreira, refused to continue playing because of a stomach muscle ache. The match ended in the 28th minute of the first set the score being 5-2 in Safin's favour.

After the match the Russian tennis player who will turn 22 on the day of the end of the tournament, January 27, told journalists that he was gratified by the early termination of the match which was played in scorching heat. He said that this would give him a chance to get rehabilitated and to relax before the semifinals in which he is to meet with the winner of the match between Tommy Haas (Germany) and Marcelo Rios (Chile).