World number one Aryna Sabalenka has used her platform at Wimbledon to appeal to the All England Club to relax its strict no-animals policy, which currently prohibits players from bringing pets into the grounds. The 28-year-old Belarusian, who is chasing her first Wimbledon title, made the plea after her second-round victory over American McCartney Kessler.
Sabalenka's plea to Wimbledon
Speaking after her 6-3, 6-2 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.'
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 contrasts with the French Open, which allows players to bring pets to Roland Garros and even offers a 'Dog Concierge' service to handle animals on site.
Emotional attachment to her dog
Sabalenka, who has won four Grand Slams since 2023 including two Australian Opens and two US Opens, expressed the emotional challenge of leaving her dog at home. 'It just sometimes hurts to leave him at the house by himself. He really gets attached a lot. But he suffers staying alone. It really hurts my feeling,' she said. 'It's just like little fluffy thing that always want cuddles and love. Going to the park with him, walking around, is also like some sort of meditation for me.'
Smirking, she added: 'So Wimbledon, please, I beg you, let the dogs inside.'
Strong start to Wimbledon campaign
Sabalenka has made an impressive start to her Wimbledon campaign, winning her first two matches without dropping a set. Reflecting on her second-round victory, she said: 'I'm super happy, extremely happy. It was great to be able to close it in straight sets. That was a very tough battle and I'm super happy I was able to handle it.'
She now faces Jelena Ostapenko in the third round, a player who defeated Great Britain's Harriet Dart in the first round.
