How a Russian champ helped Diana Shnaider land Dinara Safina coaching partnership

Another day, and a new big-name coaching partnership that’s making waves on tour. This time the tennis legend returning to the courts for another go-around is former world No. 1 Dinara Safina, who has teamed up with countrywoman Diana Shnaider on a trial basis.

Shnaider, who turned 21 last week, joined forces with Safina after Charleston and spoke exclusively to Tennis Channel about how the new partnership came about. It’s all thanks to the introduction from another Russian legend, Anastasia Myskina, who is close to Diana’s mom Yulia and a regular coworker of Safina at Russian sports channel “Bolshe!”

“My mom connected with Myskina and said, ‘Hey, we are looking for a coach. Maybe you have some suggestion for who would be the right fit for Diana?’ She obviously knows me from a very young age,” Shnaider explained.

“She got our number and shared [it] with Dinara, and then we just got connected.”

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Shnaider said she’s most excited to tap Safina’s mental strength to help her deal with the pressure and expectation that comes with rising up the rankings and playing in big matches. Safina, who reached three Grand Slam finals in her career, will also help her shift her on-court mentality and stop “overthinking” in the heat of a match.

“I’m very excited for it! I mean, she’s a former world No. 1, and I’ve never worked with a woman as a coach,” Shnaider said, grinning. “So it’s also going to be a first time experience for me. But I’m very excited and I feel like it’s going to be great.”

This week, Shnaider took to social media and made the news official as she shared a selfie with coach Safina during a clay-court practice session. She also gave a shout out to her father Maxim, a lawyer, who replaced Igor Andreev as coach after the pair parted ways at the end of last season. Shnaider won four singles titles in 2024 and clinched an Olympic silver medal in doubles (with countrywoman Mirra Andreeva).

Safina, who played her last match in 2011 due to a persistent lower back injury, is following in the footsteps of her older brother, former world No. 1 Marat Safin in a return to tennis through coaching. Last week, Safin teamed up with Russian No. 1 Andrey Rublev for the clay-court swing.

👉 PHOTOS: Andrey Rublev, Marat Safin serve all the moments at Monte Carlo practice

The siblings have joined a star-studded cast of former-top players-turned-coaches over the years, including Andy Murray (Novak Djokovic), Agnieszka Radwanska (Magda Linette), Juan Carlos Ferrero (Carlos Alcaraz), Conchita Martinez (Mirra Andreeva) and more.

Another major hire could be just around the corner, too, after rumors linking Stefanos Tsitsipas with Goran Ivanisevic emerged in Greek media. The player declined to comment on the topic at Monte Carlo.

Shnaider will be back in action at Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, an indoor red-clay WTA 500 event.