Russian tennis bad boy Safin bows out in Paris

11 November 2009 - 15H41

Russian Marat Safin returns the ball to Argentinian Juan-Martin Del Potro during their ATP Paris Indoor Master Tournament tennis match. Safin's tempestuous tennis career when the Russian former world number one lost 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to Juan Martin Del Potro in the Paris Masters second round

AFP - The curtain fell on Marat Safin's tempestuous tennis career when the Russian former world number one lost 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to Juan Martin Del Potro in the Paris Masters second round here on Wednesday.

Safin has decided to retire from the sport at the age of 29 and was unable to prolong his career despite warm encouragement from the crowd at the Bercy arena, where he has previously tasted title success on three occasions.

His typically tenacious groundstrokes were in evidence throughout as he took the tie to a deciding set but fifth seed Del Potro secured victory on his second match point after back-to-back aces.