The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics have captured global attention, and the excitement has reached the courts of the WTA Tour. While competing in the Middle East, top tennis stars, including Coco Gauff, Emma Navarro, Amanda Anisimova, and others, recently participated in a lighthearted discussion about which of their peers could participate in winter sports.
The WTA players gave some very surprising answers, making the tennis world burst into laughter.
Coco Gauff, Iga Świątek Selected by Amanda Anisimova, Emma Navarro and Others for Milan-Cortina Olympics
The 2026 Olympic Winter Games are currently in full swing across Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, showcasing the world’s best professional athletes from alpine skiing to figure skating. The WTA posted a video on X featuring top players casting their tourmates in these cold-weather sports based on their agility, with players drawing direct parallels between court coverage and movement on ice and snow.
Gauff initiated the discussion by selecting World No. 2 Iga Świątek for figure skating. “Iga slides a lot on the court,” Gauff noted, suggesting that the Pole’s signature ability to slide would translate perfectly to the rink.
Navarro then joined the conversation, stating, “I think Coco, she’s really dynamic. I feel like she can be a good skier. She’s got like bendy knees and strong legs.”
MORE: Iga Świątek Explains Why She Refuses To Feel Sorry About Ruthless Act Against Doha Opponent
Anisimova then revealed her choice, pointing again to the Polish star’s overall agility: “I’ll probably have to go with Iga because of her agility and overall movement skills.” Leylah Fernandez went beyond the veteran names to point towards the Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, saying, “I don’t know why my mind went directly to figure skating, and I feel like Mira Andreeva would be a very good figure skater.”
Meanwhile, Gauff offered perhaps the most tactical answer when taking the mic for the second time.
Pointing towards Ons Jabeur’s renowned “touch” and hand skills, Gauff pictured the Tunisian star as a sweeper, stating, “For some reason, I see Ons as like the person sweeping, or is it curling. Just because she has a good touch, maybe she can kind of read them out of a sweep. She has to do it to make it in the right spot.”
Lindsey Vonn Making Headlines As Qatar Open Continues
American alpine legend Lindsey Vonn’s Olympic comeback ended in heartbreak after a crash in the downhill event resulted in a complex leg fracture. Critics immediately questioned her decision to race with a pre-existing ACL tear, prompting a fierce defense from former tennis coach Rennae Stubbs.
She took to social media to shut down the “nonsense” criticism, asserting that Vonn’s crash was caused by a tactical error, taking a line too tight to the gate, rather than her knee injury. “Non pro athletes… stop with the nonsense,” Stubbs posted, emphasizing that elite competitors like Vonn earn their right to compete on their own terms.
Back on the tennis court, the Qatar TotalEnergies Open has reached a pivotal stage this Wednesday, Feb. 11. Following Gauff’s surprise upset loss to Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the previous round, the spotlight shifts to the remaining top seeds.
Świątek looks to continue her dominance in Doha as she faces Daria Kasatkina in the Round of 16 on Wednesday, Feb. 11. The schedule also features a marquee clash between Elena Rybakina and Qinwen Zheng, while Jelena Ostapenko takes on Camila Osorio.
