Diana Shnaider won't play for NC State today against rival North Carolina, but there's a very good reason why

WATCH: Diana Shnaider cuts a WWE-level promo at the end of our post-match interview in Charleston

CHARLESTON, S.C.—The universities of North Carolina and North Carolina State picked a hell of a week to resume their women’s tennis rivalry.

Both teams’ rosters include players who competed in this week’s Credit One Charleston Open—the WTA event about five hours south from where the Tar Heels and the Wolfpack will clash (Thursday, 5 p.m. ET). Fiona Crawley, North Carolina’s nationally renowned star (ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division I), began her week on green clay as a wild card against Alize Cornet, a former No. 11 who has been playing the French Open since Crawley was 3 years old.

In her first tour-level match, the San Antonio native did all she could against the seasoned veteran in a 6-0, 6-2 defeat.

“I wish that I could go back on court and she could beat me again right now,” she told me, still beaming after her first experience at this lofty level. “It was honestly fun.

“Going in, I just didn’t want to get blown off the court. I don’t want to lose 0 and 0.”

Today, back in the college game, Crawley will have the chance to do what Cornet did to her. Given her bonafides, that’s a distinct possibility. It’s also possible because NC State will be missing its top player, Diana Shnaider—who’s still in Charleston, after winning two main-draw matches.

The Russian, who qualified for the Australian Open and pushed No. 6 seed Maria Sakkari to a deciding set in the second round, has defeated Alycia Parks and No. 5 seed Veronika Kudermetova, both by 6-4, 6-3 scores.

Had Shnaider lost either match, someone would have picked her up and driven her back to Chapel Hill, she told me on a walk around the grounds. She doesn’t have a driver’s license, having just turned 20 on Sunday.

Both Crawley and Shnaider have represented their schools proudly in South Carolina. Crawley, a junior who we could see in a US Open down the road, had a number of Carolina blue-clad alums supporting her on Althea Gibson Court. And while Cornet used her drop shot to great effect and was never in doubt of advancing, she offered many kind words to Crawley when they shook hands at net.

“I want her to sign an autograph for me,” a laughing Crawley said afterward. “After the match, she was hitting balls in the crowd, and I went up to my brother and was like, ‘Should I go in the crowd right now and try to get one?”

“I’ll DM her—if she follows me back.”

Should Shnaider continue her ascent today against Paula Badosa, in Credit One Stadium, she’ll be signing more balls than she has all week. It’s another great achievement for the youngster, who will play Roland Garros but will decide whether to turn pro based on her ranking (currently No. 95, she’s up to No. 87 in the live rankings).

But on Wednesday, after she finished playing WTA tennis, she had a message for her NCAA team up north:

“They are better,” she began her pep talk on Tennis Channel, referring to the No. 1-ranked Tar Heels. “Doesn’t matter which ranking are you. I beat today [No.] 13 in the world, so you gotta beat them tomorrow!

“I believe in you, you believe in me, so we got this together.”