Shnaider on Her Collaboration with Safina: "She Can Give Me the Keys to Improve My Mental Strength"
After a mixed start to the season, Diana Shnaider, the world No. 13, decided to make a major change in her team. Coached by her father in recent weeks, the Russian—who has only reached one WTA quarterfinal this season—chose to bring Dinara Safina on board.
The former world No. 1 began working with the 21-year-old player at the start of the clay-court season. After a three-set win over Veronika Kudermetova followed by a second-round loss to Elise Mertens in Stuttgart (6-2, 7-6), Shnaider reflected on the early stages of her partnership with Safina.
"I think she can give me the keys to improve my mental strength. She understands the kind of pressure I might feel on the court and what I’m going through right now.
She can really suggest improvements in that area. On the court, I feel like I’m doing good things, but sometimes I overthink trying to do everything right, and my game becomes messy.
Of course, I know there are moments when I need to vary my game more—hitting more backhands and coming to the net more often. But where I need to improve the most is the mental side, and I know Dinara can help me.
I’m really looking forward to it—she’s been world No. 1. I’ve never worked with a female coach before. It’s a new experience for me. I think it’s going to be a good collaboration, and I’m excited to see how it unfolds," Shnaider told Tennis Channel.
