ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2026

Diana Shnaider

Press Conference

D. SHNAIDER/O. Oliynykova

7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Into the round of 16 at Roland Garros for the very first time. Just what about your game are you most pleased with today?

DIANA SHNAIDER: Well, it was very tough match, so I'm obviously very happy and super proud of myself, you know, for the first time second week at the French Open. Definitely very special.

Again, very tough conditions, super hot. Yeah, happy that I managed to, you know, close it in two sets and show some good tennis today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Just curious, it's obviously the first time you're second week here in Paris. What do you think about this year in regards to your game is clicking that's caused this?

DIANA SHNAIDER: I mean, honestly, I don't know. Sometimes, you know, there is just some lucky moments that you have. I mean, obviously Jess lost in the first round. I was supposed to play Jess.

But, again, you never know what's going to happen in the draw. Definitely I feel like... I don't know what clicked, but I guess something definitely clicked. Maybe in my mind; maybe in my game.

I just try to play the best as I can every match, and I guess it just worked well this week.

Q. You're opponent had obviously said quite a lot of things about you ahead of the match. I just wondered, was it a difficult match to go into? Were you apprehensive at all? There was a lot of extra security around the court. I wondered what it was like to play.

DIANA SHNAIDER: I honestly have no idea what she said. Yesterday I was just practicing and getting ready before my match. So, yeah, I haven't heard anything. I don't know anything about what she said. Wasn't interested at all.

I actually haven't noticed extra security. I just went on court as a normal match. As my coach saying, I'm playing not against opponent, I'm playing against the ball, because the ball is same. It's just different. Obviously everyone has their own game style.

I just went on court and just tried to play my best today.

Q. She was saying in here two days ago, I guess, that she was upset that you had played a Gazprom-sponsored exhibition event in Russia a couple of times, I think, and then also likes of yours on social media of a Russian broadcaster, Margarita Simonyan, I think. What are your thoughts on that? Obviously, she was foregrounding this and making it an issue. How would you respond or defend to those things she was saying?

DIANA SHNAIDER: Again, I haven't saw any of her comments or press conferences. Speaking of exhibition tournament, you know, I'm traveling all year-round. I'm not seeing my family or my friends, and I have the only one opportunity to play in front of my family, in front of my friends, just to spend a little more time at home.

I see it as an opportunity just to, you know, show some good tennis for my family. I mean, it's the only opportunity, so I got to use it.

About social media, I have no idea what she found. I have no idea, so I don't have any comments on that.

Q. I guess the theme of this week has been the heat, but starting tomorrow it completely flips. How do you think that's going to change your game in terms of how you're approaching on court?

DIANA SHNAIDER: Yeah, I saw that it's going to be actually a big drop in the weather. Very surprising.

Good I have a day off tomorrow, and I can practice already in colder conditions and before next match. So I feel like I guess the points going to be a little longer, but overall, I mean, courts are going to stay same.

Again, as players, we're just going to adjust to the new conditions, as we do. We will see how it goes.

Q. You were down 4-1, double break in the first set. What do you think changed the momentum of this match?

DIANA SHNAIDER: I don't know. Obviously she has a very different game style to the other players, so I guess I was just getting used to her ball and overall her game style.

I feel like in the start of the match I just had, like, a couple of unforced errors. I would start a point, but then in the last moment I would make a mistake. I feel like after 4-1 I got used to, a little bit more, to her ball and then just started to make more balls and less unforced errors.

Q. Just on the social media thing, again, are you sort of aware as a public figure that people are paying attention to what you're liking on Instagram? That was one of her main points was different videos that you had liked from Simonyan on Instagram and making verdicts, making decisions based on what you were liking on social media.

DIANA SHNAIDER: Yeah, I guess I'm not going to like any comments or any videos anymore on Instagram, but again, honestly, I don't know what she found. I'm here just to play tennis, not talking about Instagram or video likes or anything else.

I'm here to do my job, to play tennis, to show some good tennis, good points, enjoy the atmosphere here and enjoy the second week of a French Open.

Q. Just so that people are not sort of interpreting your likes or dislikes or anything like that, have you ever sort of publicly made your feelings about the war known, and would you like to make that known?

DIANA SHNAIDER: I'm not going to speak anything about the situation. I'm here just to speak about tennis and about my game, about the second week of a French Open. Just enjoy making it for the first time, and that's it. Just enjoy the win today.