It was the summer of 2012, and Serena Williams was on fire: She won her fifth Wimbledon title—her 14th Grand Slam singles title—and took home two gold medals at the London Olympics. She also had her hands full, dog-wise, with a Jack Russell terrier, Jackie, back home and Lauerlei, a tiny Maltese who often traveled with her. But then something magical happened while she was in New York for the US Open.
“I’m ashamed to say it,” Williams says over Zoom from a hair salon—for humans, not pets—“but it was at a pet store, somewhere off Lexington. I was just going to pick up some dog food, and they had this poor little puppy, and he was just so small. I picked him up, and I’m not the kind of person that’s so emotional, but I just started crying uncontrollably.”
If you watched Williams play in her prime, you’ve probably already seen Chip, sitting proudly in Williams’s player’s box. “He was at every tournament. He even had a championship tie for whenever I was in the finals. He’d get dressed up and wear what I called his ‘champion-Chip’ tie.” But Chip is a good boy of wildly disparate tastes and enthusiasms: He goes everywhere with his mom, from escape rooms to religious services. (With some trepidation, I ask how Chip navigated the escape room. “Well,” Williams responds drolly, “we got out, so he got out.”)
If Chip started small, though, he quickly learned to overcompensate. “Chip’s a very greedy boy,” Williams says. “He’s the human mop of our household. When I’m cooking in the kitchen, I never have to worry about cleaning up the floor after. I buy him all fresh food, which he loves—but honestly the guy eats apples.”
Below, Serena Williams answers the Dogue Questionnaire:
Vogue: What is your dog’s best quality?
Serena Williams: His loyalty. No matter what, he loves being around me. He always comes back to mama.
Who would voice your dog in a movie?
Timothée Chalamet.
Describe the voice you use to talk to your dog.
I talk to him in a regular voice. He’s almost like a human, and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I always say he’s my son. We will straight up have conversations.
What is Chip’s weirdest nickname, and how did you come up with it?
Well, it’s not weird, but Mijo. My best friend is Mexican and started calling him Mijo, which means “young man” or “son” in Spanish, and it stuck.
Where is one place you wish you could take your dog?
I’ve never taken him to London. You can take dogs there now, but when I played, they usually didn’t allow dogs because of quarantine rules—Australia too. I can take him to England now, though. We should. Actually, on second thought, no—to Versailles.
Where’s the strangest place you’ve taken your dog?
Service. Is that strange—to take him to Christian meetings?
If you could tell your dog one thing, what would it be?
How much I love him, and how much he means to me and has meant to me, and how I appreciate him so much.
What is the most human thing your dog does?
I swear to God, he says “Mama”—or “Mom.” If he really wants something, he jumps on you, and then he’ll say [adopting a tiny, constricted voice], “Maaam.” I’m telling you: He’s saying “Mom.” And it’s so cute.
What is the most dog thing your dog does?
He’s not even really a dog anymore. I don’t know—bark?
What is your dog’s full name?
Christopher “Chip” Rafael Nadal.
Astrological sign?
I don’t do signs.
Favorite toy?
He loves a tennis ball—ironic—and he loves when we throw it. That’s also his workout regimen. But it’s a tiny play ball, not a real tennis ball, because he’s really, really small.
Favorite meal?
He eats anything. The guy is greedy.
Worst habit?
Begging. He’s just too much with the begging. He’s nuts.
