Diana Shnaider’s coaching journey just took an exciting turn—and it all started with a little help from her mom.
The rising Russian tennis star has officially teamed up with former World No. 1 Dinara Safina ahead of a packed season. The 38-year-old Safina, a three-time Grand Slam finalist and sister to ATP legend Marat Safin, is returning to the tour in a new role as Shnaider’s coach.
The announcement came straight from Shnaider’s Instagram, where she shared her enthusiasm:
“Dinara is obviously a legend, and I am thrilled to see what we can do together. The past few months, I have been searching for a partnership like this that I am confident will be great for me both on and off the court.”
But how did the connection happen?
In a recent interview with Tennis.com, Shnaider revealed the behind-the-scenes story. It began with her mother, who reached out to another Russian tennis icon—2004 French Open champion Anastasia Myskina. Myskina had known Shnaider since childhood and wasted no time playing matchmaker. She got in touch with Safina, passed along Shnaider’s contact info, and the rest is history.
“My mom connected with Myskina and said, ‘Hey, we’re looking for a coach. Maybe you have someone in mind?’ She got our number and shared it with Dinara, and then we just got connected,” Shnaider shared. “I’ve never worked with a woman as a coach before, so it’s a first-time experience for me. But I’m really excited—I feel like it’s going to be great.”
The coaching shake-up comes at a time when Shnaider is hoping to turn her season around. She’s played seven tournaments so far in 2025 but has yet to reach a singles quarterfinal. Her best showing came at the Australian Open, where she battled to the third round before falling to Donna Vekic in a three-set thriller.
Most recently, she exited the Charleston Open in the second round, losing to fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.
With Safina now in her corner, Shnaider’s looking to reset, rebuild, and rise.
Leave a Reply