In April, 21-year-old Diana Shnaider jolted the WTA Tour by bringing former world No. 1 Dinara Safina into coaching. The partnership ended by May, with Shnaider saying in Rome that Safina “needed” to return to Barcelona. Now, in 2026, Safina is set to travel again, returning to the tour in a renewed coaching role and stepping back into the spotlight.

Former world No. 1 Dinara Safina is returning to coach next season. She will join the team of world No. 104 Polina Kudermetova. The 22-year-old has reportedly hired the three-time Grand Slam finalist as part of her coaching setup for 2026.

Polina Kudermetova is the younger sister of Veronika Kudermetova. Veronika is a former Top 10 singles player and the reigning WTA Finals doubles champion. The move brings significant experience into Polina’s camp as she looks to rebuild her ranking.

Kudermetova also made headlines during the offseason for changing nationalities. She will represent Uzbekistan starting next season. The decision placed her among several Russian players who have recently switched federations.

Her longtime coach, former Uzbek professional Ravshan Sultanov, welcomed Safina’s arrival. He explained the thinking behind the move and praised Safina’s fit within the group. “We have strengthened the team with Dinara – she will be working with Polina. Her approach and vision of tennis are very close to ours. Dinara is a very easygoing, open, and extremely pleasant person to communicate with,” Sultanov said.

“As a coach, I feel very comfortable working in the same team with Dinara. She has tremendous experience as a player who reached the very top of the rankings. At the moment, we have only just begun the preparation process for the 2026 season,” he later added.

Sultanov’s comments were reported on Christmas Day by Gotennis. The Russian-language sports website also shared a holiday photo. The image featured Safina, Kudermetova, Sultanov, and Marat Safin. The photo circulated widely on social media and confirmed at least some level of collaboration.

Kudermetova ended the season outside the Top 100. She peaked at world No. 54 in April before slipping down the rankings. The early weeks of 2026 will be crucial as she starts working with a new coaching team.

So far in her career, Kudermetova has won nine lower-tier titles. She also reached the final in Brisbane in 2025, ultimately losing to Aryna Sabalenka. And she will now hope Safina’s experience as a former world No. 1 can help her raise her level and take the next step on tour.

Dinara Safina reflects on joining Polina Kudermetova’s coaching team

Dinara Safina played her last professional match in 2011 when she was only 25 at the time. Now, at the start of the new season, the three-time Grand Slam finalist is stepping back into coaching. Her return has already drawn strong attention across the tennis world.

Safina addressed the news in her own words. “Dear friends, first of all, I want to congratulate you on the upcoming New Year holidays and wish you happiness, health, and magic.” She explained that many people had asked her to comment on the situation.

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She also clarified the confusion around her plans. “My plans included returning to Monaco on December 28th to spend New Year’s and the following January holidays with my family, but Polina’s coach probably knows more about my plans and those of my family,” Safina said.

The news also reached Svetlana Kuznetsova quickly. The former two-time Grand Slam champion was excited by Safina’s return to the tour. The 40-year-old Russian immediately contacted the 39-year-old to learn more about the new role and its expectations.

Kuznetsova later shared what she found out. “I saw the news in the press that Dinara would be coaching Polina Kudermetova, and I immediately rushed to congratulate Dinara and ask about the details and expectations.” She then explained how the collaboration began.

“The reality is this: Dinara flew to Dubai for two weeks to join Polina for a training session, and they agreed to try working together,” Kuznetsova revealed. She added, “Dinara isn’t planning to fly to the Australian Open, and we’ll see what happens next, which I think is logical. In any case, I wish the new tandem good luck—may everything work out for the best!”

With Safina now involved, expectations will rise. Can this new partnership help Kudermetova find rhythm, confidence, and a path back toward the top ranks?