Beaches, boats and mariachi bands: Stars arrive in Cancun for WTA Finals

With the season-ending WTA Finals set to kick off in Cancun this week, the tour's top eight singles players and doubles teams have spent the week taking in all Mexico has to offer.

The festivities kicked off as soon as the players arrived, as upon touching down in Cancun, they were greeted by a mariachi band.

Two of the year's Grand Slam champions—Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff—particularly enjoyed the greeting, and Sabalenka donned a sombrero as part of her enjoyment of the band's performance of the song “El Son de la Negra."

Away from the airport, Ons Jabeur, Iga Swiatek and the doubles team of Desirae Krawczyk and Demi Schuurs all got unique tastes of Mexican culture.

Jabeur and Swiatek had tours by land and sea. Jabeur and her husband, Karim Kamoun, visited Xochimilco, a scenic nature park, while Swiatek steered a boat on the ocean.

Krawczyk and Schuurs, meanwhile, visited the RosaNega restaurant, and participated in a cooking class where they made fresh guacamole.

All work and no play makes for a dull time, and the beach has so far proved to be a logical spot for respite after long days of preparations.

Players including Ellen Perez—one-half of the eighth-seeded doubles team with Nicole Melichar-Martinez—and Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova are among those who've already traded forehands and backhands for sands and surf.

Eagle-eyed fans will notice that Vondrousova accessorized her beach bikini with a Red Bull-branded baseball cap. The Wimbledon champion signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Red Bull Czech Republic after her triumph at SW19 this summer.

The official draw for the tournament will be made Friday, Oct. 27, and group stage of begins on Sunday, Oct. 29. The tournament runs through Sunday, Nov. 5.