RUSSIAN young gun Diana Shnaider has shown her all-court versatility by winning her third career title – all in 2024 – at the Hungarian Open. By winning in Budapest, Shnaider has now won on each of the three main surfaces – hard, grass and clay – with her claycourt success overnight coming against Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich in straight sets, 6-4 6-4.

The 20-year-old was top seed at the WTA 250 event, and lived up to the billing, need just over and hour and a half to get past the 134th ranked Sasnovich and take the crown.

“It was a great match,” Shnaider said post-match. “I enjoyed playing that and there was some exciting rallies, so I hope people also enjoyed watching that. I think it’s always nice that it’s not easy and we’re pushing each other to the limits.”

Winning at Hua Hin in February on hardcourt, followed by a grasscourt win at Bad Homburg last month, Shnaider is not only versatile, but in ripping form in 2024. The world number 28 has a 31-14 year-to-date win-loss record, and has shot up from 60th in the world at the end of last season.

Shnaider increased her career-best of 28th to rise five spots up to 23rd in the world and be on the edge of entering the Top 20. She is now the third highest ranked Russian behind 12th and 13th ranked compatriots, Daria Kasatkina and Liudmila Samsonova.

In the victory over Sasnovich, Shnaider broke seven times to five in a match where returning proved a greater asset than serving. The young Russian only won 53 and 44 per cent of her first and second serve points, but it still eclipsed her Belarusian opponent’s 44 and 35 respectively.

In taking out her third surface title, Schnaider joined a rare club of being just the third left-hander since the turn of the century to achieve the feat in the same year. Former Top 10 players Angelique Kerber and Petra Kvitova (twice) are the others.

“I’m very happy that I [won] it,” Shnaider said. “It’s an unbelievable season going so far for me.”

Shnaider will prepare for the Paris Olympics that kick off at the end of the week, one of three Russian WTA Tour players who will compete under a neutral flag. She is the highest ranked of the trio, with Ekaterina Alexandrova and Mirra Andreeva the others.

AROUND THE COURTS

In the other WTA Tour event, Chinese Top 10 talent Qinwen Zheng defended her 2023 title in Palermo, with the world number seven winning the battle of the wildcards over Czech Karolina Muchova. Zheng won 6-4 4-6 6-2 in a topsy turvy match, but broke away last in the deciding set to storm to victory in two hours and 49 minutes.

Both late entries to the event – hence the wildcards – the world number seven proved a touch too good for the 27-year-old former Top 10 player. Muchova ranked 35th coming into the event leapt back into the Top 30 again after reaching the the deciding match.

In the final, Zheng hit six aces to two and won 62 and 49 per cent of her first and second serve points compared to Muchova’s 60 and 36 per cent. She also broke seven times to five, having 19 opportunities off the Czech’s serve.

The title marked Zheng’s third of her career and first of 2024, with two coming in Palermo and the other in her home nation at Zhengzhou. She remains at seventh in the world by successful defending her title.