Kristina Mladenovic’s return to the WTA Finals will carry a new dimension at Indian Wells: a first appearance alongside Guo Hanyu, the partner she identified before the 2026 season despite the pair barely knowing one another.
The Frenchwoman was rebuilding her ranking after injury and approached Guo after watching the Chinese player’s strong doubles form in the previous season. The decision has produced one of the year’s most successful teams. Mladenovic and Guo opened their campaign by winning the Auckland title, then claimed the Wimbledon crown, and have now earned one of the eight places in the doubles field at the season-ending championships in Indian Wells.
The All England Club success marked a first Wimbledon title for both players and delivered Guo’s maiden Grand Slam trophy. Their qualification completes a rapid rise over 10 months, from an unfamiliar pairing with an agreed schedule and clear targets to a team among the tour’s leading doubles combinations.
Mladenovic said she had been convinced by Guo’s quality from the start. She told her coach that she wanted to play with Guo and was pleased the request was accepted. The key, she said, was not only that their games fitted together, but that they shared the same ideas about how they wanted to construct points and play doubles.
Starting with a title in Auckland gave the partnership immediate momentum, but Mladenovic stressed that their comfort together away from match days has mattered just as much. Their relationship grew through ordinary time spent with each other and their respective teams, including meals, walks and coffee breaks, creating a bond that translated onto the court. In her view, the Wimbledon title was the product of that gradual work and rising confidence.
Indian Wells reward for a breakthrough season
For Guo, the WTA Finals will be unfamiliar territory. She said Mladenovic understood her wish to dedicate more time to singles while still believing the new doubles team could contend for major titles and qualify for the year-end event. That confidence, Guo said, made her feel that the experienced former No. 1 doubles player could guide the team through its first season together.
Mladenovic quickly made clear that the achievement belongs to both of them. Guo has also felt that support beyond doubles, pointing to Mladenovic’s presence during her singles run to the third round in Wuhan. She described her partner as someone willing to help her and build her confidence whenever difficulties arise.
Indian Wells will be Mladenovic’s fifth WTA Finals appearance, but her first since 2019. The seven-year gap included the pandemic and significant injury setbacks, including an injury-plagued 2025 in which she played very little. Returning to the year-end stage, she said, feels especially meaningful after giving herself the opportunity to compete again at the highest level.
Mladenovic recalled that, during her difficult period last year, she would not have believed a prediction that she would win Wimbledon with Guo and qualify for the Finals the following season. Now, she sees the Indian Wells berth as recognition of the pair’s results and persistence, as well as a reward for the work of her wider team.
Both players have positive memories of Indian Wells from the March swing, particularly the desert setting and the conditions. Mladenovic said it will be intriguing to return to a venue they already enjoy for an event centred on the season’s elite, while Guo said she is eager for the experience ahead. The eight-team doubles draw awaits, with a debut at the Finals for Guo and a long-awaited return for Mladenovic.
