Kuznetsova missing Dulce

Svetlana Kuznetsova is missing her dog, but reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals is soothing the pain.

The 32-year-old Russian has an American Bully named Dulce, and says: “He’s extremely kind. If I travel, I have to carry him because he’s afraid of everything. He weighs like 23 kilos. It looks really strange, me carrying the dog. I look like his emotional support.”

But the reality of the relationship is that Dulce is quite different, according to Kuznetsova.

“He’s my emotional support animal,” she said, explaining that a psychologist has written letters advising that Dulce should travel with her to help with her mental health.

“My dogs let me relax. My dog is always happy. Always the same. He’s next to me.

“It’s something which brings me an amazing amount of support. I would travel with him more. If I would be Roger Federer, I would get a private jet everywhere and travel with my dog, but you see it cannot happen.”

Dulce is not in London, but Kuznetsova has ensured there is someone keeping him company at home.

“I have to have somebody to sit with him, because he doesn’t stay by himself,” she said.

“He hates it, so he starts peeing everywhere.” *** Andy Murray’s fourth-round victim Benoit Paire has promised himself a treat after bowing out of Wimbledon: a shave.

The Frenchman was beginning to look like Tom Hanks’ character in the movie Cast Away before Murray sent him tumbling out.

“Oh, don’t worry. Tomorrow I’ll shave it. I wanted to keep it because I was winning some matches with, so I said, ‘Don’t touch the beard’,” Paire said.

“You will see after the tournament. Tomorrow I will shave a little bit.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY – “It seems like he’s the guy over here. If a bee stings him, everybody is going to know about it.” – Sam Querrey, who plays Andy Murray tomorrow, on the focus that falls on the Scot at Wimbledon.

TWEET OF THE DAY – “Gilles Muller Serve got more swing than the 60s! #wimbledon” – Jamie Murray on the man from Luxembourg.

MATCH OF THE DAY – Johanna Konta’s quarter-final against Simona Halep looks unmissable.