A Familiar Face Steps Into the Box
Elina Svitolina is never short of resourcefulness, and her coaching setup at the 2026 WTA Finals in Indian Wells is proof of that. Her long-time coach Andrew Bettles is away from the tournament as his wife prepares to give birth, leaving Svitolina to call on Ukrainian compatriot Sergiy Stakhovsky to fill the role courtside. Stakhovsky is no stranger to elite tennis, having won four ATP Tour titles and reached a career-high ranking of world No. 31 before retiring in 2022. Crucially, he is also one of Svitolina's closest friends, someone she has trained with regularly during her trips back to Ukraine over the years.
Svitolina described the arrangement as far smoother than bringing in an unfamiliar face at such a high-stakes event. She credited Stakhovsky with sharpening her forehand and improving her play at the net, areas she admitted were never natural strengths. The 32-year-old noted that Stakhovsky and Bettles have been coordinating remotely, aligning their training schedules and court sessions so that nothing feels disjointed despite the unusual circumstances.
Tough Group Awaits in Indian Wells
The collaboration will be tested immediately. Svitolina's opening match pits her against rising star Mirra Andreeva, and the rest of her group includes Karolina Muchova and Aryna Sabalenka, making it one of the more demanding draws she could have faced. The balance between Stakhovsky's fresh tactical input and Bettles' established framework appears to be working in her favor heading into the week.
With such a loaded group and an unconventional support setup, TennisDraw users will be watching closely to see how Svitolina's bracket picks hold up through the round-robin stage.
