Diana Shnaider is turning heads and making waves in the tennis world, and she’s doing it with a flourish! Fresh off winning her first Olympic medal, the Russian tennis star has now delivered a stunning performance at the Canadian Open, sending American sensation Coco Gauff packing in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1. This was her first top-10 win—a milestone that’s hard to ignore, especially for a player who only turned pro a year ago. But who is Diana Shnaider, really?

Born on April 2, 2004, in Zhigulevsk, Russia, Shnaider comes from an athletic background of sorts. Her father, who now practices law, was a former boxer of German descent. The Russian star picked up a racquet at the tender age of four but only started taking the sport seriously after turning eight. In her early days, she trained with coach Samvel Minasyan in Moscow before eventually moving to the United States in 2022.

After the transition, Shnaider enrolled at North Carolina State University, where she is majoring in exploratory studies. Here, she played college tennis for the NC State Wolfpack. But Shnaider’s elite performance began right from her junior playing days. The Russian player won the girls’ doubles title at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships alongside Kristina Dmitruk of Belarus. In 2022, she won the Australian Open doubles with American Clervie Ngounoue. And this trend continued even after she transitioned to the pro level.

2024 has been a sensational year so far for Shnaider. Besides clinching three WTA titles, the World No. 24 reached the third round of Wimbledon. She is fresh off her success at the Paris Olympics. Partnering with compatriot Mirra Andreeva, the Russian star clinched the silver medal after falling to Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani in the finals. However, in their journey to the second spot, they outshined star players like Katrina Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova. But Shnaider, who is currently working with Igor Andreev, has faced her own challenges as well.

In August 2022, the star athlete was forced to participate in events without a bank card. The forehand star traveled to Europe and made payments for her accommodation and other necessities with cash due to the financial sanctions imposed on her country in the wake of its war with Ukraine. Despite these stressful scenarios, the star player remains committed to her country.

“I am against it” – Shnaider opens about change of citizenship

Several tennis stars have opted to change their citizenship to find better opportunities and facilities. One example is Elena Rybakina, who migrated from Russia to Kazakhstan and has represented that country ever since. But Shnaider is different. She has emerged as one of the patriotic players who do not wish to migrate from her country. 

In a recent interview, she revealed her true emotions when discussing the time her parents and coach advised her to change her nationality. “We often discuss this (change of citizenship) with our players, but I am against it. I told my parents and the coaches who tried to convince me. As a person who has played for the national team for so many years, I know that I simply cannot do otherwise. I was taught to be a patriot of the country.” Rightly so, it’s a tough move to give up on one’s nation. And Shnaider, being a proud Russian, stayed Russian. When she was asked, “Is it safe to live in Russia?” She had just one thing to say, “this is the safest place for me on the whole planet.”

But things are better now for the WTA star as she manages her time effectively, both on and off the court. During downtime, she prefers watching movies and savoring Asian delicacies. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see if she can ultimately clinch the Canadian Open title and achieve even more at the US Open.