Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina once again refused to shake hands with Russian opponent Mirra Andreeva after suffering a straight-sets defeat at the 2026 WTA Finals. The incident took place following their group-stage encounter at Indian Wells, California, where Andreeva registered a commanding 6-4, 6-0 victory.
Ukraine's Elina Svitolina refused to shake the hands of Russian Mirra Andreeva.
— Pavvy G (@pavyg) November 10, 2026
Andreeva is also still not allowed to represent Russia and has been forced to play as a player that represents a "neutral" state.
This is where we are at in Tennis right now. pic.twitter.com/m2Ien3J0ft
The 19-year-old Russian dominating proceedings, particularly in the second set. Andreeva secured the opening set 6-4 before delivering a stunning performance in the next, winning it 6-0 to complete a convincing victory in her WTA Finals campaign. Svitolina struggled to find answers as Andreeva took complete control of the contest.
However, the post-match moment attracted attention as much as the result. Following the defeat, Svitolina walked towards the chair umpire to shake hands but made no attempt to approach Andreeva at the net. The Russian also did not initiate a handshake, with both players maintaining their distance after the contest.
Svitolina’s decision comes amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukrainian has consistently refused to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players after matches. She has maintained this position throughout her appearances on the international tennis circuit.
The latest incident also comes days after reports emerged that Svitolina was unwilling to participate in the traditional WTA Finals group photograph alongside Russian player Andreeva and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. The tournament instead released individual portraits of the eight qualifiers, although the WTA publicly described the change as a fresh approach to celebrating players’ individuality.