Svitolina falls to Andreeva in WTA Finals group opener — video
Ukrainian number one Elina Svitolina suffered a 4–6, 0–6 defeat to Mirra Andreeva in her opening match at the 2026 WTA Finals, failing to convert six break points on Nov. 9.
Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina declined to shake hands with Russian opponent Mirra Andreeva following their straight-sets defeat at the 2026 WTA Finals in Indian Wells, California. The match ended with Andreeva winning 6-4, 6-0. Svitolina and Andreeva, who is also barred from representing Russia, both maintained a distance after the match, with no handshake taking place.
The incident occurred amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and Svitolina's refusal to shake hands with Russian players persists as a consistent stance throughout her tennis career. This decision also follows her refusal to participate in the group photograph with Andreeva and Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka. The WTA opted to release individual portraits of the eight qualifiers instead, describing it as a new approach to celebrating players' individuality.
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