Nadia Petrova,Lulu & The Holiday Spirit

Written by: Staff on 26th December 2012

Nadia Petrova,Lulu & The Holiday Spirit

epa03414458 Nadia Petrova of Russia returns a backhand shot during the final against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the Pan Pacific Open tennis in Tokyo, Japan, 29 September 2012. Petrova won the final 6-0. 1-6, 6-3. EPA/KIMIMASA MAYAMA |

( original story by WTP: http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/3018975/title/nadia-lulu-the-holiday-spirit )

MIAMI, FL, USA – The holidays are a time to spend with family, friends and close ones – and in the case of Nadia Petrova, there’s nothing like spending some time with her French Bulldog, Lulu – who, as you can see, enjoys getting into the holiday spirit just as much as anyone else out there.

“She acts like a human and is truly a joy to be around,” Petrova says. “She’s quite amazing. I’ve had her since she was just eight weeks old. She’s a brilliant dog with an incredible ability to learn things quickly. She knows how to sit, stay and roll over, she loves to play fetch with tennis balls, ropes or any plush toy around, and she has her own language, which sounds somewhat like a cross between Yoda and a Gremlin – she uses it to get someone’s attention when she needs something, including going outside.

“I run her every day so she stays in shape, because Frenchies do get chubby!”

And what about Lulu’s social skills? “Lulu is extremely friendly and gets along with all dogs,” Petrova says. “And when I’m away training or at tournaments, my best friend’s mom is her main babysitter.”

There’s a reason you might not see Lulu much around the tour, however. “She’s not brought much on court, mainly because she overheats quickly and I want to avoid any kind of mishap,” Petrova says. “Frenchies don’t do well with the heat, so unless there’s someone else with me who can bring her back into the AC after playing, being on court during practice is not a good spot for Lulu.”

Topics: french bulldog, holiday spirit, sports nadia petrova, Tennis, US tennis news