Diana Shnaider Stuns at French Open 2026: Her Scarf, Bio & Boyfriend History
Diana Shnaider is a Russian-born professional tennis player who stunned Aryna Sabalenka by defeating her in the quarterfinals of the French Open 2026.
That has a lot of fans wanting to learn more about Shnaider, namely, what is her bio? Does she have a boyfriend? And why does she wear a head scarf on the court? Shnaider vanquished Sabalenka on the court, defeating her 3-6, 7-5, 6-0.
Sabalenka's surprise defeat to a much lower ranked player comes after tumult on the men's side at the French Open, where both Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic also fell in early rounds and Carlos Alcaraz is out with a wrist injury.
Why Does Diana Shnaider Wear a Scarf While Playing Tennis? Does She Have a Boyfriend?
Shnaider wears a scarf because of her fair skin. "She had trouble with her fair skin burning on the court when she was younger and tried a hat, but that didn't work. She tried a visor, but no good," USA Today reported. According to USA Today, she keeps her private life private so it's not clear whether she has or has ever had a boyfriend, choosing to focus on tennis.
"I tried visors, I tried caps, but I just couldn't see and I was feeling uncomfortable," Shnaider told Baseline in Cincinnati, according to Tennis.com.
She added: "My mom just went into a shop and randomly saw a bandana, and was like, 'Oh okay, I got it! We'll see how this feels.' It's covering my hair completely, and so I tried it and it felt comfortable."
At one point, she was going to stop wearing the scarf but changed her mind. "I had a moment in my teenage years where I was thinking to stop playing in it because I was feeling a bit anxious about people saying weird stuff," she said, according to Tennis.com. "(I felt like) all people were looking at me and I didn't feel comfortable. But my parents just made me wear it.
"Now I'm very pleased that they made me do it, because actually now I feel much more comfortable playing in it... Day by day (in Toronto and in Cincy), there was more people cheering for me and people who started following me," she added.
According to Tennis.com, she has a "lucky" bandanna and also alternates between different colors depending on the wishes of Adidas.
Diana Shnaider Was Born in Russia & Studied at North Carolina State, Her Bio Says
According to WTA Tennis, she is coached by Sascha Bajin. "Started playing tennis in Tolyatti, 40 kilometers from her home and parents in Zhigulevsk," Russia, the bio says.
"Studied at North Carolina State where she played college tennis during the 2022-23 season before pursuing her professional tennis career," the bio adds. "Favorite movie is Never Back Down and favorite food is Asian."
She plays left-handed, stands 5 foot 6 inches tall, is 22 years old, and was born in Zhigulevsk, Russia. She has earned more than $5 million in prize money during the course of her career.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Sports section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 10:51 AM.