A few days ago we informed you that former world No. 1 Dinara Safina is stepping into her first major coaching role with Diana Shnaider, with their partnership kicking off at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Photographer Jimmie48 caught an early glimpse of the new duo during a practice session on the clay courts of the WTA 500 tournament, capturing some of the very first photos of the partnership in action.
“The past few months, I have been searching for a partnership like this that I am confident will be great for me both on and off the court,” Shnaider shared in her announcement. “Dinara is obviously a legend, and I am thrilled to see what we can do together.”
Shnaider is currently ranked No.13, while her career-high was No.12. The Russian made her Stuttgart debut last year as a qualifier and lost in the first round to Paula Badosa.
At the 2025 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Shnaider is seeded eighth and opens her campaign against Veronika Kudermetova.