New York – During her third‑round victory over Kamilla Rakhimova at the U.S. Open, top‑seed Aryna Sabalenka stopped play to complain about a strong marijuana odor drifting into Louis Armstrong Stadium. The Belarusian champion said the smell was distracting her while serving early in the match.
Player’s request
Sabalenka approached the chair umpire after the third game, noting she could not tell whether the scent was coming from the crowd or being carried in by the wind. “I don’t know if it was, like, coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium,” she said. “I just hope they’re going to be a bit more aware of that stuff.”
She added, “You can do whatever, you can smoke whatever, you can relax as much as you can, but please, do not do it around the tennis courts.” Sabalenka emphasized that the odor made it “tricky to handle” while trying to compete at her best.
USTA response
U.S. Tennis Association spokesperson Brendan McIntyre issued a statement confirming that the tournament grounds remain a smoke‑free environment. “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,” McIntyre said. “This includes enforcement by our security and guest services teams when they are made aware of any individual that may be smoking, making them aware that although it may be legal in NY, smoking is not permitted on park property including the tennis center.”
Background and prior complaints
The U.S. Open is situated adjacent to a park where marijuana use is legal in New York State, and the scent has been noted by fans and players in previous years. Other high‑profile players, including Nick Kyrgios and Maria Sakkari, have voiced similar concerns about the smell affecting their focus.
In Sabalenka’s case, no fans were identified or ejected for smoking during the match. The tournament’s security teams continue to monitor the area and enforce the smoke‑free policy.
Sabalenka’s post‑match remarks
After the win, Sabalenka laughed off the incident during her press conference, joking that perhaps the smell was a way for fans to “slow down a little” while she played at a fast pace. “Maybe it’s too fast so they want to slow down a little bit, so who knows,” she said. “I don’t know the effect from it.”
The incident highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing New York’s legal marijuana landscape with the USTA’s commitment to a clean, smoke‑free environment for athletes and spectators alike.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
