Roger Federer and Marat Safin teamed up for an exhibition doubles match on Friday evening at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai, delighting local fans alongside tennis greats Li Na and Dinara Safina. The appearance brought together two historic rivals on the same side of the net in front of a packed crowd at the penultimate Masters 1000 event of the season.
Federer and Safin reunite on court in Shanghai
Federer returned to a venue where he has enjoyed sustained success, capturing the Shanghai singles title twice alongside two triumphs at the year-end ATP Finals. Friday’s showcase featured a high-profile doubles pairing alongside Safin, whom Federer faced 12 times during their competitive careers on the ATP Tour. Their head-to-head series began in 2001 in Rome, with Federer winning 10 of their 12 official tour-level encounters.
It really was a lot of fun to be on the same side of the net as my brother from another mother,
Federer said after the exhibition match. I really enjoyed it, and I hope everyone else did, too.
Star-studded guest lineup supports the Masters 1000 showcase
The Friday night exhibition drew prominent figures from tennis history to the sidelines in Shanghai. Safin was supported by his sister Dinara Safina, a former world No. 1 in the WTA singles rankings. Local supporters also welcomed Li Na, the two-time Grand Slam singles champion who starred for China during her career.
Head-to-head history and tournament pedigree
While Federer holds a 10-2 career edge in official singles matches against Safin, Friday’s event in Shanghai shifted the dynamic to a lighthearted partnership. Tournament organizers integrated the exhibition into the main week of the ATP Masters 1000 competition, which draws top-tier men’s professional players to the region each autumn.
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