Diana Shnaider Ends Coaching Partnership with Dinara Safina at Rome with Statement Victory

Rising tennis star Diana Shnaider announced the end of her brief coaching collaboration with Dinara Safina, just a month after it began. The news came after Shnaider delivered a commanding double bagel win over Caroline Dolehide in Rome, showing no signs of slowdown post-split.

Diana Shnaider Ends Coaching Partnership with Dinara Safina at Rome with Statement Victory

ROME, Italy — Diana Shnaider stunned the tennis world last month by adding former world No. 1 Dinara Safina to her coaching team. But during this week’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia, the 21-year-old confirmed the partnership has already come to an end.

“She returned back home to Barcelona. She needed that,” Shnaider said, offering little more about the reasons behind the split.

Safina, who retired in 2014 after reaching three Grand Slam finals and becoming the WTA’s top-ranked player, briefly stepped back into the spotlight this spring, joining Shnaider for the European clay season. Safina’s brother, Marat Safin, also returned to tennis as a coach, teaming up with Andrey Rublev.

Despite the short-lived collaboration, Shnaider spoke highly of Safina’s impact on her mindset and game preparation.

“The experience, of course, was great,” Shnaider reflected after her 6-0, 6-0 demolition of American Caroline Dolehide. “She’s a former world No. 1, so she gave me a lot of tips on how to stay focused in a match and not let negative emotions ruin your game. For sure, those are things I learned and will try to use as much as I can to keep improving each day.”

The emphatic scoreline proved Shnaider remains sharp and confident, even without her high-profile coaching support. Reflecting on her performance, she credited a focused mentality.

“Caroline is a tricky opponent. You never know—maybe she starts off slow and then finds her rhythm. I tried not to think about the score. My goal was simply to win the match, not obsess over numbers.”

Following the win, Shnaider admitted to indulging in one of Rome’s most famous delights: gelato.

“Oh my god! The gelato here is so good. I’m literally eating it every day, I don’t care,” she laughed, struggling to choose between vanilla, hazelnut, or pistachio as her favorite flavor.

Next up, Shnaider will face Romanian Jaqueline Cristian with a spot in the Round of 16 on the line.