Entering the 2026 tennis season, Kristina Mladenovic and Guo Hanyu forged a partnership sparked by a request and solidified by a Wimbledon title, securing their qualification for the WTA Finals at Indian Wells, wtatennis.com reported.
Building a Partnership From Scratch
Prior to 2026, Mladenovic and Guo barely knew each other. Mladenovic was returning from a significant injury that left her with a lower ranking, while Guo was coming off a strong previous season. Recognizing Guo’s high level of play, Mladenovic reached out to propose a team-up.
“I said to my coach, ‘I want to play with this girl.’ I was lucky she accepted,” Mladenovic stated during their Wimbledon champions press conference, as reported by wtatennis.com. “From that moment, it was just super nice to get to know each other, because we didn’t know each other from before.”
The pair immediately clicked on and off the court. Their shared vision for how to play the game yielded instant results, capturing the title in Auckland during their very first tournament together.
Conquering the All England Club
The pinnacle of their season arrived at Wimbledon, where Mladenovic and Guo claimed the title at the All England Club. The victory marked the first Grand Slam title of Guo’s career.
Reflecting on their journey during an interview with wtatennis.com in Wuhan, Mladenovic explained how their professional and personal bond accelerated their success. “To have great results, you need to get along well with the person and feel it genuinely. I’m really happy that tennis made me meet her,” Mladenovic said.
Guo noted that Mladenovic’s confidence in their ability to win big tournaments helped guide her through a season where she was balancing singles and doubles commitments. Guo reached the third round in singles during the Wuhan tournament, supported by Mladenovic from the sidelines.
The Road to Indian Wells
For Mladenovic, reaching the WTA Finals represents an emotional milestone after enduring a lengthy absence due to injuries, including a severe one last year that sidelined her for nearly a full season. It will be her fifth appearance at the year-end championships, but her first since 2019.
“When I was in a bad situation last year with injury, if someone would have told me, ‘Don’t worry, next year, you’re gonna win Wimbledon with Hanyu and you will play the finals.’ I would be ‘No, it’s impossible,'” Mladenovic told wtatennis.com. “It’s amazing.”
Meanwhile, Guo prepares for her debut appearance at the WTA Finals. The tournament will take place in the desert at Indian Wells, offering both players a familiar and scenic backdrop as they compete against the top eight doubles tandems of the 2026 season.
| Tournament / Milestone | Achievement | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland | Title | First tournament played together as a pair |
| Wimbledon | Grand Slam Title | First title in London for both; Guo’s first major |
| Wuhan | Singles Milestone | Guo reached the third round with Mladenovic supporting |
| Indian Wells | WTA Finals Qualification | Secured spot among the top eight doubles tandems of 2026 |
With their early-season gamble having paid off in Grand Slam glory, Mladenovic and Guo now turn their attention to testing their partnership against the world’s best duos in the California desert.
