WTA WTA Finals 2026 Elena Rybakina Aryna Sabalenka Mirra Andreeva jessica pegula

The absurdity of the official photos of the tennis players at the 2026 WTA Finals

Diego Jiménez Rubio - 6 Nov 2026
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Photos from the WTA Finals 2026. Photo: Getty Images

The atmosphere is tense at the WTA Finals 2026, and it's no surprise. In addition to the typical rivalries that season the women's circuit with notable intensity, there is the leak of derogatory comments from Jessica Pegula about Mirra Andreeva and Elina Svitolina's refusal to take photographs and share events beyond the court with both Andreeva and Sabalenka due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Proof of this is not only the absence of the traditional group photos of the eight participating players but also the tension and lack of naturalness evident in the photos shared by the WTA during the photo sessions they have all undergone. Organizing them into small groups without any controversies among members must not have been easy, and whoever took charge shows great diplomatic talent.

The commotion between Pegula and Andreeva, as well as Svitolina's issues with the Russian and Belarusian players, marks the WTA Finals

Forced smiles, extravagant looks, sanitary barriers between players who do not want to share even the air they breathe... Indian Wells is preparing for a spectacular week of tennis but also for a difficult coexistence among the top stars of women's tennis. Elena Rybakina is assured of the world number 1 spot, and Aryna Sabalenka is trying to put a positive spin on a season that has been really negative since winning the Sunshine Double.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El despropósito con las fotos oficiales de las tenistas en las WTA Finals 2026