"We made it a long way" - Roman Safiullin thanks his wife in runner-up speech after losing to Alexander Zverev in Chengdu Open final
Roman Safiullin, after his defeat in the ATP Chengdu Open final against Alexander Zverev, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 6-3, discussed his professional journey and the unwavering support from his wife, Liudmyla Smolanova.
In his post-match speech, Roman Safiullin shared reflections on his journey from participating in Futures tournaments to achieving a rank in the top 50 of the ATP rankings, underscoring the pivotal moments and milestones along the way. He has achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 41 after the Chengdu Open.
Liudmyla Smolanova has been a constant source of support throughout the various phases of Safiullin's career. During his emotional post-match speech, Safiullin expressed profound gratitude towards his wife, stating:
"I want to thank my wife. We made it a really long way. From Futures to the final of ATP & top 50. Thank you very much for your support & for your love. I love you so much."
In the match, Alexander Zverev and Roman Safiullin engaged in a thrilling battle, lasting nearly three hours. Zverev, leveraging his powerful serve, managed to secure crucial points, particularly in the decisive moments. Safiullin, meanwhile, demonstrated his striking ability, delivering 33 winners to his opponent's 25.
Following this victory, Alexander Zverev has won 46 matches and lost 21 this season after he missed the second half of 2022 as he suffered a serious ankle injury during the French Open semifinals.
Moreover, the 2023 Chengdu Open highlighted several noteworthy moments and milestones. Alexander Zverev secured his 21st ATP title at the event and also the first hard-court title since the 2021 Nitto ATP Finals.
Grigor Dimitrov celebrated his 400th win, and Lorenzo Musetti reached his third tour-level semi-final of the season. The tournament also marked Safiullin's first ATP final.
Roman Safiullin has won 32 out of 55 matches so far in 2023
Roman Safiullin has secured 32 wins out of 55 matches in 2023, with a notable achievement of reaching his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal on his Wimbledon main-draw debut.
He had displayed a great performance at SW19, beating the likes of Roberto Bautista Agut, Corentin Moutet, Guido Pella, and Denis Shapovalov before being knocked out by Jannik Sinner.
The Russian also performed well at the Winston-Salem Open, Cincinnati Masters, Mallorca Open, and Halle Open. His exploits allowed him to reach a career-high singles ranking of 41.