![Andy Lapthorne [Left] won Silver at the Paris Paralympics in 2024. <i>(Image: Reuters via Beat Media subscription)</i>](/resources/images/21152544.jpg?type=mds-article-962)
Andy Lapthorne will be looking to the support of his dog to navigate the pressure of a home slam as he bids for a maiden quad wheelchair singles title at Wimbledon.
The 35-year-old 18-time Grand Slam champion from Hammersmith is making the most of the home tournament to spend time with rescue dog Bernie, amid the business of the tour. And with two Wimbledon doubles titles to his name already, that extra stress relief could be vital in deflecting the pressure that comes with being a Brit at a home slam.
“When I first started there were two men and a dog watching, now at certain points when I’ve played here there are full stadiums and you’re live on BBC One,” said Lapthorne. “The pressure has definitely gone up, with more coverage, more sponsors, more prize money.
“But alongside that is the pressure of having to compete with all that attention, which means it is difficult. Having Bernie to go home to just makes you smile, whether I win or lose he’s bringing the same energy. They’re amazing animals, they can pick you up when you’re down.
“He’s my number one person. He’s a massive part of my life and when you have to leave him it’s difficult, because I travel around the world.”
Lapthorne last reached the Wimbledon singles final in 2019 and will face 21-year-old Argentinian Gonzalo Lazarte in the quarter-finals as he attempts to replicate that performance.
His doubles victories have been far more frequent, though it was in 2021 that he last triumphed at Wimbledon, with the most recent of his eight Australian Open titles coming last year.
He will partner fellow Brit Greg Slade in the doubles, with a semi-final clash with second seeds Jin Woodman and Sam Schröder as their opening opponents. Having emerged on both sides of tight final matches, the Londoner, who won his first Grand Slam title in 2011, has plenty of experience of what it takes to get across the line.
“At times it comes down to moments and during the week just knowing what you need to do, when you need to do it and when to pull the trigger,” he added.
“It’s not easy. So usually, the player who is able to free themselves up a little bit from the nerves is usually the player that has the most success.
“You’re trying to find ways to relax as much as possible. When I’m out there, the amount of people that come to watch can get raucous and it is chaos.
“So, I’ll try and think of Bernie and bring it back down. Playing at home is not easy because we all want to win.”
For the latest updates on the British summer grass court season, visit the LTA website, lta.org.uk.
