1 Aryna Sabalenka encountered an unusual distraction during her US Open third-round match

Aryna Sabalenka (Image Credits: Instagram)

1 Aryna Sabalenka encountered an unusual distraction during her US Open third-round match on Friday when a strong cannabis smell reached the court at Louis Armstrong Stadium. Sabalenka was facing Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova and had made a fast start, leading 3-0 when she briefly stopped play during her second service game. She maintained control against Rakhimova and eventually secured a 6-3, 6-4 victory to advance to the fourth round. The Billie Jean King National Tennis Center sits next to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, where recreational cannabis use is legal for adults aged 21 and over in New York. I’ve played on (Court 17) before and I did smell it during my match.

World No. She approached chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore and pointed out the strong odour. Asderaki-Moore immediately contacted tournament officials over the complaint and made a smoking gesture to alert staff. Members of the US Open team then moved into the stands to try to locate the source of the smell. The interruption was brief and Sabalenka quickly returned her attention to the match. The incident highlighted an issue that has surfaced repeatedly at this year’s tournament. “I’m not a huge fan of it. I know a lot of players have complained on specific courts. It’s something that I wouldn’t like to smell in the middle of my match.”