Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one in women's tennis, has made a public plea to Wimbledon officials to relax the tournament's strict no-animals policy. The 28-year-old Belarusian, who is chasing her first Wimbledon title, expressed her desire to bring her dog onto the grounds during the championship.
Sabalenka's Dominant Start at Wimbledon
Sabalenka has been the dominant force in women's tennis over the past three years, winning four Grand Slam titles since the start of 2023. She has claimed two Australian Open and two US Open crowns but has yet to triumph at Wimbledon or the French Open. At this year's Wimbledon, she has made a strong start, winning her first two matches without dropping a set. After her second-round victory over American McCartney Kessler, Sabalenka said she was 'super happy' with her performance.
The No-Animals Policy at Wimbledon
Wimbledon's Conditions of Entry state that 'attendees are prohibited from bringing any animals into the AELTC Premises, with the exception of Certified Assistance Dogs.' This policy is common at many sporting events, but the French Open has a more relaxed approach, allowing players to bring pets to Roland Garros and even providing a 'Dog Concierge' service to handle animals on site.
Sabalenka's Plea to Wimbledon
Asked about Wimbledon's policy after her win, Sabalenka said: 'I don't agree with that. Well, I can understand why they made this decision. Obviously if the dog does something wrong inside of this historical place, it's probably going to take a bit of time to replace. They're probably afraid of damage.'
She added: 'I have to say all of our dogs are very well-trained. They're not going to do anything wrong inside of this beautiful building. We have to change that. It just sometimes hurts to leave him [her dog] at the house by himself. He really gets attached a lot. But he suffers staying alone. It really hurts my feeling.'
Sabalenka described her dog as 'a little fluffy thing that always wants cuddles and love' and said that taking him to the park is 'like some sort of meditation for me.' She concluded with a smile: 'So Wimbledon, please, I beg you, let the dogs inside.'
Looking Ahead
Sabalenka now turns her attention to a third-round clash with Jeļena Ostapenko, who beat Great Britain's Harriet Dart in the first round. As she continues her quest for a first Wimbledon title, her request for a change in the pet policy has added a lighter note to her campaign.
