By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - Strawberries without cream? Surely not - that would be like having fish without chips or bread without butter.
For two weeks every summer, fans flock to Wimbledon not only to watch the world's best players in action but also to savour truckloads of the tournament's signature dish.
Yet incredibly world number one Aryna Sabalenka has somehow managed to spend years at the All England Club without ever sampling the tournament's iconic pairing.
"I don't know if
it's overrated or underestimated, whatever," Sabalenka told reporters on Friday after setting up a fourth-round showdown 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's admission prompted a moment of self-realisation.
"There are so many people who really like it," she said before stopping herself.
"Actually, to be honest, it's actually crazy, I never try it. Can you believe?"
With the dessert regarded as a must-have experience for many attending the tournament, fans are expected to consume 2.5 million strawberries with 17,363 litres of cream during this fortnight.
Sabalenka, however, will not be among those joining the long queues that can often be seen snaking outside the stalls selling this quintessential treat.
"I believe that there is sugar," she said. "Every time I'm playing, I try to stay no sugar. I never try it," said the Belarusian who has been a regular visitor to Wimbledon since 2017.
"Wow, that's actually crazy. I just realised that. After so many years, I never tried it. How about that?"
The 28-year-old, one of the favourites for the women's title, promised to settle the question once her campaign was 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 laugh. "We'll talk about that later."
Until then, Sabalenka will remain one of the few Wimbledon regulars yet to pass judgment on the Championships' most famous off-court pairing.
(Reporting by Pritha Sarkar, editing by Clare Fallon)
