September 1, 2026
Meanwhile, at the US Open
While everyone else watches the tennis, we've been keeping an eye on the animals.
For two weeks at the end of each summer, a part of Queens turns into a major sports scene. There are trophies up for grabs, rankings to keep, millions of dollars at stake, and tons of fans glued to every game.
Meanwhile, Ash is walking around Arthur Ashe Stadium. The King Charles Spaniel belongs to Aryna Sabalenka. She got him after winning the US Open and named him after the stadium. This year, he's been strolling around the court during Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, looking way more chill about the tournament than everyone else.
He isn't the only dog hanging around. During Fan Week, the US Open brought rescue puppies Louis, Loretta, Henry, and Gojo to the player garden, where Coco Gauff, Leylah Fernandez, and other players stopped by for a quick hello between their practices.
Dogs and tennis totally go together. On April Fools' Day in 2019, the US Open joked that puppies would be joining the ball-person team. That tweet blew up with 70,000 likes, and players even started nominating their own dogs for the gig. Kevin Anderson's rescue pup, Lady Kady, a cute Chiweenie, claimed she’d been getting ready for this her whole life. Too bad no puppies ended up getting hired.
It’s a little tricky to keep the non-credentialed animals off the court. In 2023, a squirrel ran onto a doubles court during a match, stopping play for a bit. Can't really blame the little guy. The Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is right in the middle of Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
And during the pandemic, the 2020 US Open had no crowds, and some local raccoons noticed the emptiness. They were seen roaming the deserted grounds and even checking out Arthur Ashe Stadium. No tickets needed.
That’s the other US Open happening alongside all the tennis action. Players dedicate months to get ready for a Grand Slam event where every serve matters and points are everything. Cameras are all over, capturing every little move, and thousands of fans spend two weeks chatting about everything that happens on the court.
And while all that’s happening, the animals have their own plans. A dog’s gotta go for a walk, a squirrel’s got things to take care of, and raccoons are pretty excited to find some fancy seats just sitting there empty.
Maybe that’s why these little interruptions stick with us. For a brief second, one of the biggest sports events in the world turns into just another spot in New York where people and animals cross paths. Then the squirrel leaves, somebody picks up a tennis ball, and the match goes on.
