How will WTA Finals handle tension between Elina Svitolina & Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva?
The Ukrainian Svitolina does not interact with Belarusian and Russian players.
Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina has been selected to participate in the 2026 WTA Finals in Indian Wells. Svitolina, a 2018 WTA Finals champion, has not competed in the event since 2022, due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. To avoid shaking hands with Belarusian and Russian players, Svitolina and other Ukrainian athletes refrain from post-match handshakes.
This potential issue arises because Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka and Russian player Mirra Andreeva have also secured spots in the WTA Finals, an invite-only tournament with eight participants. Despite the tournament being one of the five most important events of the season, the small field means players are frequently together for events and photo opportunities, which could lead to awkward situations.
The singles players who qualified for the WTA Finals include Elena Rybakina, Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff, Linda Noskova, Svitolina, and Andreeva. Marta Kostyuk, Svitolina's fellow Ukrainian, is still competing for the final spot, which could ease tensions. However, the absence of Ukrainian players in the doubles field may complicate matters further.
With the WTA Finals set to take place from November 8-16, 2026, the organization may have to take measures to separate Svitolina from Sabalenka and Andreeva during the highly anticipated annual photo session.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
