Shnaider reveals what his biggest change was to regain confidence

Fernando Murciego | 1 Jun 2026 | 17.53

Shnaider reveals what his biggest change was to regain confidence. Source: Getty

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It had been a long time since we had seen Diana Shanider as a protagonist on the circuit, a waiting period that comes to an end at Roland Garros 2026. The Russian defeated Madison Keys this Monday and will debut in a Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Multiple coaching changes, a lack of maturity to assimilate her new status, and the vertigo of having only a few steps above have not helped Diana Shanider to continue climbing within the circuit since the day she stood at the doors of the top 10. Specifically, ranked #11 on the leaderboard, a height from which she plummeted due to evident lack of confidence. The positive note is that she remains fiercely young, only 22 years old, so she can rely on this Paris experience to grow again. These were her words after advancing to her best performance in a major.

Evaluation of her victory against Keys

"I am super happy and proud of myself. I had lost several times before against Maddie, but today I went onto the court thinking that I had to fight for every point. Obviously, the clay and conditions are a bit different from hard courts, so I tried to be more consistent, use more spin, higher balls, and simply keep more balls in play, reducing unforced errors, but at the same time looking for opportunities to be more aggressive. I think Maddie played better in the second set than the first; it was very important to hold serve in the first game of the third set. After that, I felt relief for having maintained my service and I could play more fluidly in the third."

First Grand Slam quarterfinals

"I am not thinking about how many matches are left. I am very happy with my performance today, with how I played, and how I kept calm throughout the match, controlling my emotions. I think that was very important today; I am looking forward to the next match. It's already a great achievement for me; I will enjoy it, play again in an incredible stadium, try to play like today or even better, fight, and see what happens."

The keys to her triumph against Madison

"The first game was very important. I was 15-40 down on my serve, and coming back in that game to hold serve was key, especially being the first game. I felt relief getting ahead 1-0. Then I tried to go point by point; I know Maddie has a great serve and looks for many winners. I just tried to get as many balls in as possible, play deep and high so she couldn't get into the court and be aggressive. When I saw an opportunity, I tried to be aggressive as well, but without overdoing it or committing too many unforced errors. I tried to keep it simple and not let her take too much initiative."

Diana Shanider commented after advancing to her first Grand Slam quarterfinals. Source: Getty

Diana Shanider reveals her biggest change to regain confidence

"It has more to do with the mental aspect, trusting more in myself and in my game. Not being so negative about myself, for example. Before, if I lost the second set, I doubted myself a lot in the third. Now I try to stay in the present moment and think about solutions, about what I have to do, and not fall into negative thoughts or doubts when the opponent plays better. Staying focused and controlling my emotions helped me a lot here."

Osaka or Sabalenka in the quarterfinals

"It will be a great match no matter who wins. The world number 1 or a former number 1, Grand Slam champions, it will be a great challenge. It's my first quarterfinal, so it doesn't really matter who wins. We will analyze it with my coach; they have similar styles, very aggressive and offensive. I will try to do my job, play like today, avoid too many unforced errors, and be aggressive without risking too much. I want to enjoy it and see it as an opportunity to gain experience for the future."

Diana Shanider's opinion on Serena Williams' return

"I haven't heard much about it; there is a lot of attention around the issue. I don't know if she is only returning for doubles or also for singles, but I am not paying too much attention. We are in a Grand Slam; I am in the quarterfinals, so I am focused on myself and my next match. I am happy for her. If she is ready to return, we will see."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Shnaider desvela cuál fue su mayor cambio para recuperar la confianza

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