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How will WTA Finals handle tension between Elina Svitolina & Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva?

The 2026 WTA Finals in Indian Wells will bring together some of the sport’s biggest stars, but also create an unprecedented diplomatic challenge. Ukrainian champion Elina Svitolina, a 2018 WTA Finals winner, returns to the event for the first time since the Russian invasion began in 2022, after skipping the past two editions.

Her presence will clash with Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and Russian Mirra Andreeva, both of whom have also qualified, as Svitolina and other Ukrainian players refuse to shake hands with athletes from those nations—a stance that could complicate group interactions and photo opportunities at the high-profile tournament. The eight-player field includes Svitolina’s compatriot Marta Kostyuk, who is still competing for the final spot, while the doubles draw features no Ukrainian representation, leaving Svitolina without teammates from her country.

The WTA has already signaled plans to separate Svitolina from Sabalenka and Andreeva during the iconic annual group photo, though the broader tension may linger throughout the event, scheduled for November 8–16 in California.

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