NEW YORK – Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka was briefly forced to halt her US Open third-round match after complaining to the umpire about a strong smell of cannabis coming from the surrounding area.
During the match, Sabalenka approached the chair umpire and said that someone appeared to be smoking cannabis and that the smell was particularly strong. The match was temporarily interrupted while an official was informed about the complaint.
The incident occurred as Sabalenka attempted to maintain her concentration during the third-round encounter at the US Open. After a brief stoppage, play resumed and the Belarusian went on to secure victory, advancing to the fourth round of the tournament.
Speaking to the media after the match, Sabalenka said she was unsure where the smell had come from but urged spectators to be considerate of players competing at the highest level.
“I don’t know where the smell was coming from, but fans should be considerate,” Sabalenka said. She added that it was difficult to tolerate such an odor while trying to produce her best performance on court.
The world-class player said she could not determine whether the smell had originated from the crowd or from outside the venue, noting that the wind was blowing at the time and could have carried the odor onto the court.
Smoking is not permitted on the courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows.
However, cannabis odors have occasionally reached the tennis courts, reportedly carried by air currents from surrounding areas.
Sabalenka is not the first high-profile player to complain about cannabis odors during matches at the US Open. Serbian star Novak Djokovic and German player Alexander Zverev have also previously raised similar concerns during matches.
Despite the brief disruption, Sabalenka maintained her composure and completed the match successfully to book her place in the fourth round of the 2026 US Open.
