The crowning moment of the WTA Tour is here! The best players in women’s tennis have arrived, and one thing is guaranteed: tennis fans worldwide will be in for a treat this week in Riyadh. But before the action kicks on, there are interviews, media appearances, and, of course, photoshoots to look forward to. In fact, the pre-tournament photoshoot of all the finalists dressed to the nines has become a staple of the event since 2007. But instead of the usual excitement, this year’s photos have triggered a more derisive reaction.

Uploaded onto the WTA’s social media pages, the image features all eight participants of the tournament dressed in stunning evening wear against a gold and white palatial backdrop at the Bab AlSaad Resort in the historic town of Diriyah, right at the outskirts of Riyadh. “It was nice to see everyone dressed up in different fashions and styles, and it’s always fun to get glammed up,” said Coco Gauff. “We go all year, tournament to tournament, in sweats and workout gear. This was an opportunity to showcase our personalities and our style, and be showcased in a different light as a whole.”

Unlike last year, when the players were all grouped together around the trophy, this time the players were very much distinct and standing apart. What the two sets of photos did have in common though was the air of seriousness, despite colorful outfits like Aryna Sabalenka’s bright pink Alberta Ferretti dress or Iga Swiatek’s shiny copper-toned bespoke Lurline one.

“The WTA Finals portrait shoot brings the WTA’s mission to life, celebrating the strength, individuality, and global influence of our athletes. It reflects our belief that the court is not just a field of competition, but a stage for greatness,” wrote WTA Ventures CEO Marina Storti in an email to Forbes Magazine.

Some focused on the artistic vision, while others were baffled at how the players were arranged. Either way, the sentiment wasn’t exactly positive ahead of the showdown set to begin on November 1.

Fans immediately pointed out how ‘pale’ and ‘miserable’ they were looking in the photograph. They also criticized the creative attempt and the thought process behind the shoot. Some even stated that while the WTA stars were looking stunning individually, together, they lacked the competitive spark of what is about to come in the gala showdown from November 1. 

Fans weigh in on the WTA Finals photoshoot 

As if to mirror the nervous energy before the Finals, all 8 players were photographed looking somber and serious, prompting one fan to sarcastically question, “Were they told to look miserable?” Although their expressions match the ones from last year’s photos, it’s a marked difference from the 2022 Fort Worth and 2023 Cancun photoshoots, where everyone looked carefree and relaxed.

Other fans, looking at it from a technical standpoint, weren’t too happy with how everyone had been positioned. “The composition is a mess lol. Coco on the left, Jasmine on the right and Aryna  (the tallest) in the middle would have made this pop,” read the comment. Echoing this sentiment, another fan wrote, “All of them look stunning individually but the composition of the photo as a whole is questionable.”

Another fan felt that the spark was missing from the shoot, even suggesting it gave off a nuptial energy. “For all that Arabian money you could have hired stylists, photographer, make-up artists from Vogue or something… and yet you chose the wedding vibes… it’s not bad but there is no wow effect. Sorry 😔”  It’s clear that the standard has been set high, as last year’s photos in Riyadh were captured by photographer Jingyu Lin, whose work has been used in publications like The New York Times, Variety, Teen Vogue, and The Wall Street Journal.

To see the top 8 players in the world posing together all glammed up is certainly different from the norm. Some photoshoots have even become instantly iconic, like the Cancun shoot from 2023, where the players posed beachside, or the slick black and white photoshoot from 2007, where the finalists, including Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, were all dressed by Hugo Boss.

Naturally fans had high expectations for the output, but this time the reality clearly didn’t match their expectations.  “This isn’t what I was expecting o.. who is the creative director 😤,” wrote a disappointed fan, clearly unhappy with the creative studio Shay Johnson Studio’s work.

Ahead of the 2025 Riyadh Year-End Finals, fans clearly had plenty to pick at. However, beyond the glitz and glamour, what everyone is really waiting for is to witness the women battle against each other for the crown on the court.