"Serena, of course, always said that she was the best" - Former World No.1 takes subtle shot at American's mindset when compared to Rafael Nadal
WTA
Retired tennis star Dinara Safina enjoyed a successful career on the WTA Tour, and the Russian recently gave her thoughts on the mentality she adopted during her rise to the top of the tennis world.
Safina spent 26 weeks as the World No.1, starting in April 2009. Despite never winning a Major title, Safina finished runner-up at three Grand Slam finals, the French Open in 2008 and 2009, and the 2009 Australian Open.
Staying humble was a key to remaining on top, according to Safina
In a recent interview with Sports.ru, the 38-year old was asked to delve into her mindset while she was the top-ranked player in the world. Safina contrasted her approach to that of WTA legend Serena Williams, claiming the American's mentality was vastly different from her own.
"I didn’t have this feeling that I’m the best and I’ll beat everyone now," admitted Safina. "I basically had an adequate attitude and understood that if I didn’t continue to work, I would quickly lose this position in the ranking. Serena, of course, always said that she was the best – but that’s a completely different mentality."
Conversely, the retired Russian used Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal as an example of a player whose approach mirrored her mindset.
"And even Nadal, being the number one tennis player and winning Grand Slams, never said in an interview that he was the best," continued Safina. "On the contrary, about any opponent: he plays so well and if I don’t show my best tennis, I’ll lose. I am more inclined to this approach.
"It's a truly Spanish approach. I know many Spaniards, and they have a clear limitation - don't be arrogant. He grew up in a family of athletes. His uncle was a very famous football player. Rafa understood how difficult it is to achieve sporting achievements. And if you suddenly think that you are the best, you can stumble. It's a sober view that brings you down to earth. If I don't play well, I'll get beat. And you have to be very down to earth to constantly improve."
"It's a truly Spanish approach. I know many Spaniards, and they have a clear limitation - don't be arrogant. He grew up in a family of athletes. His uncle was a very famous football player. Rafa understood how difficult it is to achieve sporting achievements. And if you suddenly think that you are the best, you can stumble. It's a sober view that brings you down to earth. If I don't play well, I'll get beat. And you have to be very down to earth to constantly improve."
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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