“He’s a mental health support, you know?” Sabalenka said, who praised his ability to sleep through her matches. “I feel like I’m much more settled, more calm, more in control. Whenever I feel like going crazy on my team, I just pet Ash and I feel better.
“I always wanted to have this dog. When I was a kid, I think my mom had a spaniel and I loved that dog. They’re family dogs. They’re super attached to their owners, super chill, super cute, super cuddly. Look at him!”
Sabalenka, who also announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend Georgios Frangulis ahead of her Indian Wells campaign, revealed plans to procure Ash have been in the works since she won her second US Open title—a bet with coach Anton Dubrov.
