After securing her silver medal in the doubles event at the Paris Olympics with Mirra Andreeva, Diana Shnaider has got off to a winning start in Toronto. She has won her previous two matches by three sets and now the 20-year-old is all set to face Coco Gauff in the R16. Shnaider made her professional debut last year, but 2024 has literally been a breakthrough year for the youngster. She has not only won three WTA titles this year but now she has also made it to the Top 25 in the women’s singles ranking. Who are the people who gifted the tennis world such a bright prospect?

Their name is Maxim and Yulia, they are the parents of Shnaider. She was born in Zhigulevsk, but later on, the family moved to Tolyatti. Her father Maxim, is a lawyer and a former boxer of German descent. Her mother, Yulia is an English teacher. Shnaider started playing tennis at the age of 4 and her parents have played a major role in helping her pursue her dreams in the racquet sport. Reflecting on her journey, Shnaider once revealed,

“I started playing tennis at four years old because my parents were searching for some stuff for me to do. As a kid, I explored in a lot of different ways — I danced, played music, and also found tennis.” She further narrated the story of how once, while driving through a town, they saw a big racquet with the name of a club. “It said that they had groups of kids. My mom was like, ‘Maybe we should try this one.’ We got there and asked if I could try one practice, just to see if I would like it. They said yes, and that day I just tried it.” That’s exactly how the journey started for Shnaider.

The coach who was present there noticed her incredible reactions while hitting the balls. However, Shnaider had to make multiple visits to that place before eventually getting the ‘precious gift‘ from the coach. What was that gift, though?

“I never let it go” – Shnaider recalls his first interaction with her lethal weapon

Shnaider is known for her fearless brand of tennis, but to become fearless, one must know the proper utilization of their own weapons. Recalling the moment of getting a racquet as a gift from the tennis coach, she said, “I went everywhere with the racket. My parents used to tell me that I was sleeping with the racket — I never let it go. They told me that I broke everything, all the glass in the flat because I was always holding.” Her love, hunger, and perseverance for the sport, have now made this young girl with a signature blue polka-dot bandana a true force to reckon with! Who is her biggest inspiration in the racquet sport though?

Reflecting on the same, she once shared a valuable lesson that she has learned from her parents. “I never thought about inspirations. My parents always said you need to find your own style, just like you need to find your own tennis game. You can watch to be inspired but for yourself, it needs to be your own,” said Shnaider. Her journey from a small town in Russia to becoming an Olympic medalist has now become a true inspiration for millions of young tennis stars like her. Share your thoughts on her incredible journey.