Aryna Sabalenka Finds Emotional Support in Her Puppy
The world’s number one tennis player, Aryna Sabalenka, has revealed that her new puppy, Ash, provides her with “mental health support” as she continues to achieve victories and maintain her position at the top of women’s tennis. Sabalenka brought her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to a post-match interview on the Tennis Channel, following her round of 16 victory over Naomi Osaka at the BNP Paribas Open.The tennis player, who also recently announced her engagement to Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis, shared the news of her puppy in a social media post last week, introducing Ash as a “new addition” to her support team.Sabalenka talked more about Ash after her victory over Osaka. The tennis player explained that she had an agreement with her coach, Anton Dubrov, that if she won last year’s US Open, she would buy a dog. He also considered getting a Dachshund, but decided on a spaniel because “my mother had a spaniel and loved that dog”, adding that spaniels are good “family dogs”. “Super attached to their owners, super calm, super cute, super affectionate,” she said. Sabalenka said she wanted her dog’s name to be somehow related to New York and the US Open. “Apple doesn’t sound good,” he said. Then, he opted for Ash as a nod to the great American tennis player and civil rights activist Arthur Ashe, after whom the main court of the US Open is named.“I feel like I’m much calmer, at peace, more in control,” Sabalenka said as Tennis Channel commentators held and petted her dog.
Aryna Sabalenka
