Already (re)known for her bandanas (“I have red ones, yellow ones, pink ones, light blue ones, dark blue ones…”), Shnaider should soon emerge on the big stage of a Grand Slam tournament, where she has still not gone beyond the third round, a stage reached this year at Wimbledon. This time it may be at the US Open, where she is preparing to challenge Clara Tauson this Thursday in the second round.
“My goal was to be in the top 20 before the end of the year. It happened earlier than expected, but I still have to work to get there. And I intend to do it,” she told us in this one-on-one interview conducted in New York. Shnaider also talks about her relationship with her coach Igor Andreev (himself a former 18th player in the world in 2008), what she needs to work on with him, and her musical tastes.
Diana, what do you enjoy most about being a tennis player, and what do you find most difficult?
Diana Schneider: Quite simply, I love playing tennis! Obviously, the most enjoyable thing is winning, but you also enjoy playing big matches against quality opponents. The hardest thing is travelling. We’re never at home. I was just talking about it with my family recently: when will I be able to celebrate New Year’s Eve, birthdays, etc. normally? I don’t know. At the same time, this is the life we’ve chosen and we have to accept it.
You have been working with Igor Andreev since the beginning of the grass season: what do you look for in a coach and how do you communicate with him?
D. S. : Igor was the right person at the right time. Together, we work a lot on the negative thoughts I can have on the court. He has a lot of experience as a player, so there are many moments where he can understand what I feel on a court. He has wise advice that I find helps me a lot.
Igor Andreev at Roland-Garros in 2008. (© JB Autissier / fep / Panoramic)
For example ?
D. S. : I just happen to be too negative when I make mistakes. We are humans, not robots, but sometimes it is difficult for me to accept that I make mistakes and try to continue regardless. Igor spent a lot of time teaching me that this is how you improve: stay focused on the game no matter what and keep fighting for every point.
Mentally, I think it’s important to accept that sometimes you can lose just because the opponent was better that day, and not necessarily because you played badly. But that’s the hardest thing to accept.
And what about tennis?
D. S. : We worked a lot on the service. And also on my choice of shots in certain situations and in certain positions on the court. These are small adjustments, we have not revolutionized my technique or my way of playing. But at the very level, these are the small adjustments that can make a huge difference.
Dominic Thiem said the other day that the feeling you get after winning a big match is like a drug, in a way. Do you agree?
D. S. : Absolutely! Especially if the match was long and difficult, or if it’s against an opponent you’ve never beaten before. It’s an incredible feeling. It’s a cocktail of emotions, a mixture of joy, relief and pride. Yes, it’s really enjoyable.
Tell us a little about who you are outside of a court. What are your musical tastes, for example?
D. S. : They are very varied! I really listen to all kinds of music, especially on the plane but also in the car, here in New York, where the journey to the stadium is really too long (laughs)! It can be rock, pop, a sad song… Really anything: It depends on what state of mind I am in. I also like walking while listening to music, or just watching TV shows or series.
Actually, I like to spend time alone and relax. In tennis, you are surrounded by a lot of people all the time, every day. So I need to take some time for myself, without anyone. That’s how I recharge my batteries.
Coming back to tennis, given that you are left-handed, are there any left-handed tennis players that you have admired in particular?
D. S. : I could mention Rafael Nadal but on the other hand, we don’t have the same style of play. In fact, there weren’t that many left-handers when I grew up. Of course, I admired Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic but, apart from Nadal, not that many left-handers. Help me out…
Petra Kvitova, perhaps?
D. S. : Yes, it’s true that I was very excited to play her last year. She’s a great player. In the same generation, there was also Angelique Kerber. But I have to admit that I grew up watching mostly men’s tennis.
What’s the first big game you remember watching on TV?
D. S. : I don’t remember exactly what match it was, but I think I remember it was a Nikolay Davydenko match. Honestly, I didn’t watch a lot of tennis when I was young, because I never thought I would end up on the tour one day. Tennis became serious very gradually for me, and that’s when I started watching more.
What are your long-term goals, and have you discussed them with Igor?
D. S. : Not yet, no. But the long-term goal is above all to stay healthy and among the elite for as long as I can. For that, I have to be serious about physical preparation, recovery, sleep… There is not much else to do: take care of your body as much as possible, because tennis is a very demanding sport. In the same way, I would like to make sure to stay mentally fresh for as long as possible, and keep a positive attitude towards my sport.
I just want to be the best version of myself on every surface.
Dian Schnaider
You’ve won three titles on three different surfaces this year. In the end, which one suits you best?
D. S. : My first title, in Hua Hin, on hard courts, was a really huge victory. In Bad Homburg, it was incredible because I didn’t think I would be as good on grass. And yet, I played some great matches there! In the end, I loved playing on grass. Finally, Budapest was also special because I managed to push myself mentally to get out of difficult moments. I felt tired from the first match, I lacked a bit of “guts” but I pushed myself and I managed to get through it.
To answer your question, if you had asked me two years ago when I was playing juniors, I would have definitely said clay. But I’ve evolved. Today, I just want to be the best version of myself on every surface.
Finally, do you sometimes dream about tennis?
D. S. : Yes, of course! Especially when I’m not in a tournament, by the way, when I’m trying to relax. Well, there you go, I start dreaming that I’m in a tournament! So when I wake up, sometimes, I say to myself: ‘Diana, calm down, this must be a week of rest, even in a dream (laughs)!’
You may also like
