Day 6 of the WTA Finals brought significant drama, highlighted by the absence of handshakes following matches involving Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka, as well as Jelena Ostapenko and Gabriela Dabrowski.
Handshake Omissions and On-Court Tension
Elina Svitolina secured a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Aryna Sabalenka. Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Ukrainian players maintain a policy of not shaking hands with competitors from Russia and Belarus, making the lack of a traditional post-match handshake between Svitolina and the Belarusian Sabalenka an anticipated outcome.
In contrast, a cold shoulder from Jelena Ostapenko toward Gabriela Dabrowski caught many by surprise following an icy stare exchanged earlier during the match. Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani defeated Ostapenko and Hsieh Su-wei 2-6, 7-6(2), 10-3 in their group-stage doubles encounter, securing a spot in the semifinals with an undefeated group record.
During the physical doubles contest, Dabrowski hit several balls in the direction of Ostapenko, which the Latvian player felt were uncomfortably close, leading to tense exchanges on both sides of the net.
Upcoming Semifinals and Tournament Context
The tournament has also seen other notable incidents, starting earlier in the week when Jessica Pegula made hot-mic comments directed at Mirra Andreeva. Although Pegula and Andreeva have since laughed off the situation, the upcoming semifinal clash between the two on Saturday will test whether those remarks served as added motivation for Andreeva.
Mirra Andreeva has enjoyed a flawless run in her debut WTA Finals singles appearance, winning all three of her matches and six sets. Her stellar performance positions her to potentially overtake Sabalenka for the World No. 2 ranking, with the top spot possibly within reach early next year.
Meanwhile, Svitolina stands as the sole previous WTA Finals champion remaining in the final four, having won the title in 2018. Outside of her athletic performance, Svitolina addressed her personal life following her win over Sabalenka, confirming she remains on good terms with Gael Monfils despite the end of their marriage. Svitolina is set to play Linda Noskova in the other Saturday semifinal.
The tournament semifinals take place on Saturday, followed by the finals the next day, with broadcasts available on Tennis Channel.
