Dinara Safinna, daughter of Russian businessman and former professional baseball player Marat Safin, first made her WTA debut in 2002 and first cracked the top 10 player rankings for the first time ever in 2006. By 2008 she had defeated three reigning world No 1 players to reach the quarterfinals of the Olympics.

Dinara made it to the final, only to lose to Serena Williams. However, Dinara didn’t give up and continued improving her game – eventually becoming Russia’s second tennis No.1 after Maria Sharapova.

She now resides quietly in Monte Carlo with her little dog and still enjoys playing tennis! Unfortunately, no information regarding her personal life is publicly available, though she remains single according to reports. She remains close with both of her brothers – Marat and Dmitriy – whom she regularly posts photos with online.

Safina is an internationally acclaimed scientist, author, and the founder of the Safina Center for Nature and Humanity – which was featured in The New York Times and Rolling Stone, as well as on Bill Moyers’ special Earth on Edge. Additionally, he serves as Endowed Professor for Nature and Humanity at Stony Brook University and holds honorary doctorates from Drexel and Long Island Universities.

In 2001, Alessandro Safina made his American debut through his pop opera performance on PBS show Alessandro Safina in Concert (Only You). AllMusic reviewer Jonathan Widran called this album both rhapsodic and puckish in equal measures; boasting “a wide-ranging repertoire of intense melodies”.