Strawberries and cream is as synonymous with Wimbledon as the grass courts themselves — but apparently, not everyone at the All England Club has given the beloved tradition a taste.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka made a surprising confession to reporters on Friday following her victory that set up a fourth-round matchup against Naomi Osaka: despite years of competing at Wimbledon, she has never once tried the tournament’s signature dish.
“I don’t know if it’s overrated or underestimated, whatever,” Sabalenka said. “I would say I’m not a fan of strawberries with any sort of cream. I just like plain strawberries.”
The admission seemed to catch even Sabalenka herself off guard. After noting how much other people enjoy the treat, she paused and reflected on her own experience.
“Actually, to be honest, it’s actually crazy, I never try it. Can you believe?” she said.
The dessert is a beloved staple of the two-week tournament, with fans expected to consume roughly 2.5 million strawberries paired with 17,363 litres of cream during this year’s Championships.
Sabalenka, who has been a fixture at Wimbledon since 2017, explained that her competitive mindset has kept her away from the sugary indulgence.
“I believe that there is sugar,” the Belarusian said. “Every time I’m playing, I try to stay no sugar. I never try it. Wow, that’s actually crazy. I just realised that. After so many years, I never tried it. How about that?”
The 28-year-old is considered one of the top contenders for the women’s title, but she has promised that win or lose, she will finally settle the question once her campaign wraps up.
“After the tournament, I’ll try and I’ll tell you if it’s overestimated or if it’s underestimated,” she said with a laugh. “We’ll talk about that later.”
For now, Sabalenka remains one of the rare Wimbledon regulars who has yet to weigh in on the Championships’ most celebrated off-court tradition.
