Russian tennis player Mirra Andreeva defeated Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in straight sets at her debut at the WTA Finals, a match played under the persistent shadow of the ongoing conflict between their home nations.
The encounter, which ended 6-4, 6-0, was marked by the absence of the tournament’s traditional pre-event group photograph, Sporza reported.
Andreeva, currently ranked world number 3, secured the victory in two sets against Svitolina. Svitolina, who has been a vocal critic of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, walked off the court immediately following the final point. According to Sporza, she acknowledged the umpire but did not look toward or shake hands with her opponent, continuing a long-standing practice of refusing handshakes with Russian and Belarusian players.
The traditional group photo session, usually held for all participants at the start of the WTA Finals, was canceled this year. Instead, organizers opted for individual images and smaller group shots.
While the WTA provided no formal explanation for the change in protocol, the decision follows a trend in international diplomacy; similar group photos were recently scrapped at the G20 summit in Atlanta due to the presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, as reported by De Standaard and Gazet van Antwerpen.
The move at the tennis tournament reflects the continued friction between Ukrainian, Russian, and Belarusian athletes participating on the same circuit.
Svitolina is scheduled to play world number 2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in her next match on Thursday night. The Ukrainian athlete has frequently stated that Russian and Belarusian players who do not publicly denounce the conflict share responsibility for the situation.
Next up 🏟️ Mirra Andreeva vs. Elina Svitolina#FAGEWTAFinals | #TheUltimateStage pic.twitter.com/64YvD4FHWA
The 17-year-old Andreeva has risen rapidly in the rankings, previously gaining attention for her performance at Roland Garros in 2024, where she became the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist in 27 years, according to Sporza archives. Her victory over Svitolina marks her first win at the season-ending WTA Finals. The tournament continues in Indian Wells, where players remain under the scrutiny of ongoing international geopolitical pressures.
🇺🇦 Elina Svitolina lost her opening round-robin match at the WTA Finals to 🏳️ Mirra Andreeva 4-6, 0-6. The Ukrainian suffered her second defeat in three career meetings with Andreeva. Svitolina won their previous encounter at this year's Australian Open. This is Svitolina's… pic.twitter.com/rpE49Zsc6L
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