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.”
Read more: Di Squared: Former No. 1 Dinara Safina to coach Diana Shnaider
