Pete Sampras says he believes Marat Safin can eventually become the president of Russia. Safin is running for a seat in Russia’s Duma (parliament) in December. "Marat is very intelligent, articulate and well-spoken so I think it’s great that he’s getting involved in government in his homeland," Sampras said at the ATP Champions Tour stop in Chengdu. "I think he’ll do a great job—he’s good with people and people like him, and that’s half the battle with being a politician. He’s very young and it’s nice to see that he’s got this passion in him… In 20 years Marat will be the President of Russia! Trust me, this guy is going to go a long way. The guy is an international star and the future President."
Carlos Moya won the title after defeating Younes El Aynaoui 6-2, 7-6(6) in the final.