LONDON : World number one Aryna Sabalenka has revealed that despite competing at Wimbledon for years, she has never tried the tournament’s iconic strawberries and cream, preferring to eat the fruit on its own.
While the famous dessert is a staple of the Championships, with fans consuming an estimated 2.5 million strawberries and 17,363 litres of cream during the fortnight, Sabalenka admitted she has always avoided the traditional combination.
“I don’t know if it’s overrated or underestimated, whatever,” Sabalenka told reporters on Friday after booking a fourth-round clash with Naomi Osaka.
“I would say I’m not a fan of strawberries with any sort of cream. I just like plain strawberries.”
The four-time Grand Slam champion then surprised herself by realising she had never even tasted the famous Wimbledon treat.
“There are so many people who really like it,” she said before pausing.
“Actually, to be honest, it’s actually crazy, I never try it. Can you believe?”
Sabalenka explained that her decision is largely down to her tournament diet, as she avoids sugar while competing.
“I believe that there is sugar,” she said. “Every time I’m playing, I try to stay no sugar. I never try it.”
The Belarusian, who has been a regular at the All England Club since 2017, laughed at the revelation.
“Wow, that’s actually crazy. I just realised that. After so many years, I never tried it. How about that?”
Although she plans to continue avoiding the dessert during this year’s Championships, Sabalenka promised she will finally give it a try once her campaign is over.
“After the tournament, I’ll try and I’ll tell you if it’s overestimated or if it’s underestimated,” she said with a smile.
“We’ll talk about that later.”
For now, one of the favourites for the Wimbledon title remains an unusual exception among players and spectators alike—choosing plain strawberries over one of the tournament’s most cherished traditions.
