By Sabalenka Stops Play Over Cannabis Smell
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka briefly halted her US Open third-round match against Kamilla Rakhimova on Louis Armstrong Stadium because of a strong smell of cannabis. The Belarusian raised the issue after going 3-0 up in the first set, telling umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore that “someone is smoking weed.”
Sabalenka asked the umpire to intervene “because it’s so strong.” Asderaki-Moore spoke to an official on her radio and made a smoking gesture to someone behind her before play continued.
The world No. 1 was serving at 30-0 when she stopped play, according to marca.com. After briefly speaking with her team, she turned to the chair umpire and asked officials to investigate the odor.
Tournament staff moved through the stands in an attempt to locate the source. The interruption was brief and the match resumed without major disruption to Sabalenka’s concentration.
Sabalenka said afterwards she was not sure where the smell was coming from but asked fans to be more mindful.
USTA Responds As Complaints Mount
Smoking is not permitted on site at Flushing Meadows, but the smell of cannabis sometimes wafts onto court from the nearby Corona Park. It is legal to smoke cannabis in New York for adults aged 21 and over.
The United States Tennis Association said it maintains the tournament site as a smoke-free environment and relies on security and guest-services personnel to respond when smoking is reported.
“While we can’t control what takes place off the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, we continue to be vigilant as we maintain this facility as a smoke-free environment,” the USTA said in a statement.
The USTA added that it constantly works with the NYPD and Parks Department and believes this has helped decrease smoking near the fenceline.
Sabalenka is not the first player at this year’s US Open to complain about the smell. Britain’s Katie Boulter previously said it was distracting, while Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones also noticed the smell. In past years, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev have also complained.
Title Defense Stays On Track
Two-time defending champion Sabalenka went on to secure a confident 6-3 6-4 victory over Rakhimova, a player representing Uzbekistan. The win marked her 16th straight victory at Flushing Meadows.
Sabalenka dropped just four points on serve in the opening set. She served 10 aces to Rakhimova’s two and did not face a single break point.
The second set was more competitive, with Rakhimova holding serve four times after falling behind and saving four break points. Sabalenka secured the crucial break in the ninth game after Rakhimova led 40-0, then served out the match.
