Sports Fact of the Day 1/30/2007

1/30/2005:
Marat Safin spoils the party for tennis fans Down Under when he overpowers Lleyton Hewitt in the Australian Open and shuts the door on hopes for an Aussie to win their national title for the first time in three decades. It's the second Grand Slam title for the erratic and temperamental Russian star, who broke through by winning the U.S. Open in 2000 but then fell prey to injuries and inconsistency. Safin uses his big serve and 6'4" reach to maximum advantage against Hewitt, whose baseline retrieval strategy proves unavailing.

Birthdays:
Walt Dropo b. 1923
Davey Johnson b. 1943
Curtis Strange b. 1955
Payne Stewart b. 1957
Jalen Rose b. 1973