Former President Vladimir Putin recently announced his intention to come back in as El Presidente after spending a term as Prime Minister - Berlusconi anyone?
But things have taken a surprisingly sporting flavour in Russia's Duma.
Safin,31, is a member of Russia's United Party and will represent the Nyzhny Novgorod region - 500km from Moscow.
Pete Sampras congratulated Safin and even went on to say that the Australian and US Open winner could be President of Russia in 20 years time.
Now, I don't really know my Russian politics like my brother, Andrew but even I'd say that might be a bit of a wild claim and I'd probably take a tennis player's words about politics with a pinch of salt.
However, Marat Safin is not the only tennis star, past or present to feature heavily in Russian politics.
Fellow Russian Anna Chakvetadze is also trying her hand at politics. Chakvetadze who has been beset by recent health problems - she collapsed several times while playing on the WTA tour this year - will run for the Right Clause party.
In fact, Chakvetadze was voted the sexiest woman in Russian politics. Well that was really a win on default for Anna who has done a bit of modelling work like most tennis players on the WTA circuit nowadays.
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| Anna with her lovely long braid of hair |
The Right Clause party is quite a minor party in Russia with only 2% of the support in the country so it wouldn't be a bad place to start for Anna who cut her trademark long braid at the end of last year after a long barren run following her climb to no. 5 in the womens' rankings.
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| Anna with her new hair this year - miss her braid! |
Well no she chopped her hair off for Locks of Love not because she thought her long hair was a bad luck charm. Shame, as I really fell for her when she had her really long hair.
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| Another shot of Anna - with short hair |
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| Anna Chakvetadze - the Hilary Clinton of Russia? |
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| Anna's bid to end world hunger! |
Anyway, it appears Anna's first foray into politics has been a failure as the party was unable to secure one percent of the vote and she was not elected.
Nevertheless, politicians have a very long life and are like the flies that won't die.
Just ask Winston Peters.
It remains to see if Russia is experiencing a tennis revolution in its Parliament.
Imagine Maria Sharapova or Anna Kournikova taking on the Kremlin...
Back to Anna, the good news is she is planning a return to the WTA Tour in 2012. Maybe she could be like Samson and gain back her strength as her hair grows back!
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