Sabalenka attributes ‘mental health support’ to her new dog.
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Aryna Sabalenka attributes her new puppy, Ash, with offering “mental health support” as she continues to achieve victories and uphold her position as the top-ranked player in women’s tennis.
Following her round-of-16 win against Naomi Osaka on Wednesday at the BNP Paribas Open, Sabalenka brought her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to a post-match interview on the Tennis Channel.
“I feel like I’m much more settled, calm, more in control,” Sabalenka remarked while Tennis Channel commentators held and petted her dog. “Whenever I feel like going crazy on my team, I just pet Ash and I feel better.”
Recently, Sabalenka also announced her engagement to Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis and shared the news of her puppy in a social media post last week, introducing Ash as a “new addition” to Team Tiger, her support team of coaches, trainers, and other staff.
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She elaborated on Ash after her 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Osaka.
Sabalenka mentioned that she had an agreement with coach Anton Dubrov that if she won last year’s US Open, she would get a dog.
She also contemplated getting a Dachshund but ultimately chose a spaniel because “my mom had a spaniel and I loved that dog,” noting that spaniels are good “family dogs.”
“Super attached to their owners, super chill, super cute, super cuddly,” she stated.
Sabalenka expressed her desire for her dog’s name to have some connection to New York and the US Open.
“Apple doesn’t sound right,” she said. Therefore, she selected Ash as a tribute to American tennis legend and civil rights activist Arthur Ashe, after whom the main US Open stadium court is named.
Source: espn.com
