Arnya Sabalenka pauses US Open match because ‘someone is smoking weed,’ a statement says.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) had to step in after Aryna Sabalenka paused her US Open match to mention someone was smoking weed nearby. Sabalenka, who won the last two US Open titles, was playing Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round.
During the match at Louis Armstrong Stadium, Sabalenka stopped and told her team and umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore about a strong smell of marijuana. She said, “Someone is smoking weed. Would you mind… because it’s so strong.” The umpire then talked to another official over the radio and looked into the situation, noticing a smoking gesture.
The game went on, but the USTA released a statement saying, “While we can’t control what happens outside the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, we work hard to keep it a smoke-free place. Our security and guest teams remind people that even though smoking might be legal in New York, it’s not allowed on park property or the tennis center. We also work with the NYPD and Parks Department to reduce smoking near the area.”
After her 6-3, 6-4 win, Sabalenka spoke about it again, saying, “I told them, you can do what you want and relax, but please don’t smoke near the courts. It’s hard to focus when you smell it. I asked the umpire to help because the wind might be blowing the smell from the crowd or outside. I hope people will be more careful. Maybe they want to slow down the match, who knows? But it was distracting.”
British player Katie Boulter also mentioned the smell was distracting and said she wouldn’t like to smell that during her match.
Cannabis has been legal in New York for five years, with adults allowed to carry up to three ounces. But at the US Open, smoking anything—cannabis, tobacco, or vapes—is not allowed.
Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, will hope the smell is gone when she plays her next match in the fourth round.