Evgeny Korolev, Nikolay Davydenko, Dmitry Tursunov, Mikhail Youzhny, Marat Safin

Evgeny Korolev is an 18-year-old professional tennis player and member of Russia's successful Davis Cup squad.

A product of Russia's youth tennis system, Korolev turned professional in 2005 and is already closing in on cementing a place in the ATP top 100 ranked players. Korolev's cousin is former Russian tennis player, Anna Kournikova, and his father is former NHL ice hockey star, Evgeny Korolev Senior, who played for the New York Rangers.

Evgeny Korolev said:

”Sochi 2014 will be an inspiration for millions of people and create incredible opportunities for youngsters to take up Olympic sports. Winning the Olympic title is a dream of mine, but if Sochi wins their Bid to host the Winter Games I might take up skiing just for the chance of competing in the biggest sports event in front of a home crowd!”

Evgeny Korolev was born in 1988 in Moscow, Russia.

Nikolay Davydenko, Russia's top ranked men's tennis player, is currently rated third in the world singles rankings. The winner of ten Association of Tennis Professionals singles finals, he reached the semi-finals of the US Open in 2006, the semi-finals of the French Open in 2005 and the quarter finals of the Australian Open in both 2005 and 2006.

Davydenko showed early sporting promise and at the age of 11 he left the family home to live with his elder brother Eduard, a children's tennis coach, and his wife Marina in Volgograd; his family believing that Russia offered more opportunities to develop his game. Davydenko and his brother, a gifted player himself, spent many hours each week practicing together.

After securing sponsorship from a tennis-loving German national, the Davydenko brothers moved to Germany to pursue a professional tennis career. In 1999, Davydenko was granted Russian citizenship at the age of 18 and turned professional the same year. During his Grand Slam debut at the 2001 Australian Open, Davydenko thrust himself into the limelight by taking a set off Australian star player, Pat Rafter. He went on to win his first ATP title in Adelaide, Australia, in 2003.

Nikolay Davydenko was born in 1981 in Severodonezk, Ukraine.

Dmitry Tursunov is a professional tennis player and a member of Russia's Davis Cup team.

Tursunov turned professional in 2000 and won three ATP Futures titles in his first year, despite missing four months of the season due to injury. At his first Grand Slam tournament - the 2003 US Open - Tursunov announced his arrival on the world stage with victory over former world number one Gustavo Kuerten. In 2005, Tursunov fought off injuries to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon, beating local hero Tim Henman in the process.

Tursunov's impressive form saw him selected to represent Russia in the 2005 Davis Cup, where he won his singles match in Russia's semi-final with Croatia. He has since won an ATP event in Mumbai and all four of his singles matches in the Davis Cup.

Dmitry Tursunov was born in 1982 in Moscow, Russia.

Mikhail Youzhny is a professional tennis player and member of Russia's Davis Cup team.

Mikhail Youzhny began playing tennis at the age of six. In 1999, Youzhny turned professional and won four ATP Futures events in the same year. The following year, he became the second-youngest player (behind Andy Roddick) in the top 200 of the ATP Champions Race. In 2001, at the age of just 19, he became one of the youngest players to enter the ATP top 100 ranked players.

In 2002, Youzhny secured his first ATP tournament victory in Stuttgart, Germany. The same year, he also became the first player to come from two sets behind to win a fifth and decisive match in a Davis Cup final. His marathon match against Paul-Henri Mathieu secured Russia's 2002 Davis Cup victory with a 3:2 win over France.

In 2006, Youzhny reached the semi-final of the US Open, defeating Rafael Nadal on his way to the last four. His impressive form continued in the 2006 Davis Cup, when he won his singles match against the USA to help Russian into the final.

Mikhail Youzhny was born in 1982 in Moscow, Russia.

Marat Safin is the charismatic Russian tennis star and former world number one ranked player. To date, he has won 15 major career titles, including two Grand Slams – beating the legendary Pete Sampras at the US Open in 2000 and home favourite Lleyton Hewitt at the Australian Open in 2005 – and was a central part of the 2002 Davis Cup-winning Russian team.

Safin began playing tennis at the age six with his father, Misha – who was the director of a small tennis club in Moscow that also produced the likes of Anna Kournikova, Elena Dementieva and Anastasia Myskina – and with his mother, Rausa Islanova – who acted as her son's coach until he reached 13. In the women's professional game, Safin's younger sister, Dinara Safina, has won four WTA titles and reached a career-high ranking of No. 11 in September 2006.

After turning professional in 1997, Safin was named ATP Newcomer of the Year in 1998, ATP Most Improved Player of the Year in 2000 and Newcomer of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards, also in 2000.

Despite being frustrated by a series of injuries, Safin has showed the conviction and dedication to consistently return to the top ten of men's tennis. For arguably the most successful period of Safin's career, he was coached by former Russian player, Alexander Volkov, which saw him lift seven men's singles titles in 2000, including a famous US Open win.

Safin is now coached by Peter Lundgren, the highly-respected former coach of Roger Federer, in a partnership that has resulted in two back-to-back AMS titles (Madrid and Paris in 2004) and Safin's second career Grand Slam title at the 2005 Australian Open.

While Safin maintains Russia will always remain his first love, he also spends time training in various other parts of the world, including Valencia and Monte Carlo. Outside of tennis, Safin is a big fan of other sports, supporting Spartak Moscow in football and enjoying watching NBA star Shaquille O'Neal perform for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Marat Safin said:

“The most important thing in tennis, like in all professional sport, is to believe in yourself. The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi in 2014 would teach so many athletes and supporters from around the world that winning belief in the true spirit of the Olympic Movement. Sochi 2014 would be an incredible life-changing event for millions of people and the legacy it promises to leave behind would transform a whole region. I fully support Sochi 2014 and having seen the commitment behind the Bid, have no doubt that it would be the best Winter Games ever.”

Marat Safin was born in 1980 in Moscow, Russia.

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