Safin wins seat in Russian Parliament

Former world tennis No.1 Marat Safin has won a seat in Russia’s lower house of Parliament and will represent the pro-Kremlin party United Russia.

The 31-year-old Safin will be one of the youngest members in the 450-seat legislature.

Safin retired from tennis in 2009 after winning two Grand Slam titles and earning the No. 1 ranking in 2000.

Official election results released on Thursday by the Central Election Committee show that boxer Nikolai Valuev and three-time Olympic champion wrestler Alexander Karelin also won seats in the Duma, where they will also represent the Prime Minister Vladimir Putin-led United Russia party.

The new Duma is scheduled to convene on December 21.