Aryna Sabalenka briefly halted her US Open match after a strong cannabis smell drifted onto court, creating a bizarre interruption during her commanding third-round start against Kamilla Rakhimova.
IMAGE: Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her US Open third round match against Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova in New York on Friday. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters
Key Points
- Aryna Sabalenka halted her US Open third-round match after detecting a strong cannabis smell drifting onto the Louis Armstrong Stadium court.
- The world number one alerted umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore while serving against Kamilla Rakhimova, describing the odour as particularly strong.
- Cannabis smoke has previously disrupted players at Flushing Meadows, with legal recreational use in New York and nearby park activity contributing to the recurring issue.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka had an unusual interruption during her US Open third-round match on Friday, stopping play to alert the umpire to a strong smell of cannabis drifting onto Louis Armstrong Stadium court.
Sabalenka, who had made a fast start to go 3-0 ahead against Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova, raised the issue during her second service game, pointing out the smell before play resumed.
“Someone is smoking weed,” top seed Sabalenka told umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore as she was serving 30-0 up. “Would you mind to … because it’s so strong.”
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Flushing Meadows Faces Familiar Cannabis-Smoke Issue
The odour of cannabis has become a familiar — if unwelcome — feature at Flushing Meadows, with players complaining about the distraction in the past.
While smoking is not permitted inside the grounds, recreational cannabis is legal for adults over 21 in New York and smoke from people in the surrounding Flushing Meadows-Corona Park can drift into the tennis complex and onto the courts.
