Aryna Sabalenka credits her new dog with providing ‘mental health support’ at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka credits her new puppy, Ash, with providing “mental health support” as she continues to rack up victories and maintain her standing as the top-ranked player in 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 on Wednesday at the BNP Paribas Open.

“I feel like I’m much more settled, calm, more in control,” Sabalenka, who has a history of emotional, on-court outbursts, said 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.”

Sabalenka, who also recently announced her engagement to Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis, shared 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.

She spoke more about Ash following her 6-2, 6-4 victory over Osaka.

Sabalenka said she had a deal with coach Anton Dubrov that if she won last year’s U.S. Open, she would get a dog.

She also considered getting a Dachshund, but decided on a spaniel because “my mom had a spaniel and I loved that dog,” adding that spaniels make good “family dogs.”

“Super attached to their owners, super chill, super cute, supper cuddly,” she said.

Sabalenka said she wanted her dog’s name to be related somehow to New York and the U.S. Open.

“Apple doesn’t sound right,” she said. So, she went with Ash as a nod to American tennis great and civil rights activist Arthur Ashe, after whom the main U.S. Open stadium court is named.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis