Aryna Sabalenka has made an emotional appeal to Wimbledon officials, asking them to reconsider one of the tournament’s long-standing rules.
The world number one is at The Championships in London this week and, after surviving a scare against McCartney Kessler in the second round, advanced to the third round on July 3, 2026.
While players arrive at Wimbledon focused on lifting one of tennis’ biggest prizes, many also travel with parts of their normal routine. For Sabalenka, that includes a companion she has grown especially attached to during life on tour.
That companion is her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy, Ash.
However, dogs are not allowed inside the All England Club unless they are medically trained service animals, leaving Sabalenka frustrated by the restriction.
Speaking to TNT Sports, she made it clear she would like the policy revisited.
“I don’t agree with that,” Sabalenka said, per TNT Sports. “I can understand why they made this decision.
She also acknowledged why the rule may be in place at such a historic venue.
She lamented: “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 inside.”
Sabalenka argued that the dogs belonging to players and their teams are unlikely to cause any trouble.
However, she said that for the team who have pups, ‘all of our dogs are very well-trained’, adding: “They’re not going to do anything wrong inside this beautiful building.”
For her, the issue is personal as well as practical, because she does not like leaving Ash behind on his own while she competes.
She said: “We have to change that. 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 feelings. It’s just like a little fluffy thing that always wants cuddles and love. Going to the park with him, walking around, is also like some sort of meditation for me.”
She then delivered a direct appeal to the tournament.
She concluded: “Wimbledon, please, I beg you, let the dogs inside.”
Wimbledon’s current policy remains unchanged, with access limited to approved service animals. The All England Club’s site rules state that dogs must not be brought onto AELTC sites except service dogs, including guide dogs, hearing dogs, mobility dogs, seizure alert/response dogs and autism dogs.
The debate has surfaced during a strong Wimbledon campaign for Sabalenka, who remains one of the favourites for the title as she continues her bid for a first trophy at the All England Club.