The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1497827
MAY/JUNE 2023 ■ 47 admitted, is "crazy tough." "I'm trying my best to finish every- thing with my deadlines and get good grades, but it's really tough to manage all of this together," she noted. Adding to the challenge is that the col- legiate tennis level is more difficult than the perception that Shnaider previously developed. "The stereotype in Europe was that college tennis is really weak and you cannot make progress here, that you're just going to go down and you cannot improve anything," Shnaider noted. "But when I came here, and I saw how girls are practicing and other teams are playing, I was like, 'Whoa, this level is pretty high.' "I was like, 'OK, I cannot just sit here and win every match. I need to work hard to win these matches." Going into the ACC Tournament, Shnaider was 12-3 for NC State, com- peting entirely at the No. 1 singles spot in the lineup. She rose to No. 15 in the singles rankings and was 9-3 against ranked opponents. T h e tea m a s p e c t h a s re m i n d e d Shnaider of her days playing with the Russian national team and has been par- ticularly enjoyable for her. And while she misses the home- cooked meals from her parents, Shnaider feels confident that she made the right career choice. Even her once-skep- tical father is now supportive. Rather than worrying about try- ing to find a tennis court and a time to practice in Russia, where geopolitical sanctions have made logistics and finances even more chal- lenging for Russian tennis players like Shnaider, she simply looks at her phone, where she keeps the schedule planned out long ago by Earnshaw. "I'm happy that I've done it," Shnaider said. "It was the right [decision]." Shnaider's ultimate ambitions are to be a Grand Slam champion. Her power- ful forehand gives her a chance. That is rooted in an aggressive style of play she cultivated from the beginning of her tennis days. "When I started to play in tourna- ments, I didn't like to wait or run ball to ball," Shnaider noted. "I want to be in charge of a point, so I like to be an aggressor on the court, and I feel that because of that style, I was using my forehand a lot." Her next chance to showcase her talents on an international stage will be at the French Open in May. It's the second Grand Slam of the year, and Shnaider is hoping to compete. "But right now, more focus is on the … NCAA [Tournament] coming up," she said. "And then we will see what summer will bring me." ■ Prior to the ACC Tournament, Shnaider had compiled a 12-3 record and was ranked No. 15 nationally in singles play. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS