Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka briefly stopped play during her US Open third-round match on Friday, September 4, 2026, after complaining about a strong smell of cannabis drifting into Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The world No. 1 was leading Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova 3-0 in the opening set when she approached chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore to raise the unusual complaint.
“Someone is smoking weed… do you mind… because it’s so strong,” Sabalenka told the umpire, according to footage from the match.
Tournament staff subsequently checked the stands for the source of the smell, but they did not identify or eject an individual smoker.
The interruption briefly brought the high-stakes Grand Slam contest to a halt, but it did little to disrupt Sabalenka’s momentum. The two-time defending champion eventually defeated Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the US Open round of 16.
Sabalenka addressed the incident with humour after completing the victory, although she acknowledged that the smell created an unwelcome distraction while she was trying to compete.
The Belarusian star said she had encountered the smell of cannabis at the US Open before, but described Friday’s experience as particularly strong. She also joked that she might end up getting high herself if the smell continued drifting into the stadium.
Sabalenka explained that she could not establish whether the smell came from someone inside the stadium or from outside the tournament grounds.
Wind conditions can carry odours across the surrounding area and into the US Open venue, making it difficult for organisers to identify their precise source.
Despite laughing about the episode afterward, Sabalenka made clear that the smell could interfere with a player’s concentration.
“It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best,” she said after the match.
She also urged spectators who choose to smoke to keep their distance from the courts.
Sabalenka’s complaint highlighted an unusual problem that has followed the US Open for several years. The tournament takes place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, next to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
Although recreational cannabis remains legal for adults aged 21 and older in New York, smoking is prohibited inside the US Open grounds. That distinction, however, does not prevent smells from outside the complex from reaching the tennis courts.
Players have previously complained about the distinctive odour during the tournament.
British tennis player Katie Boulter also reported encountering the smell during this year’s US Open, adding to a growing list of players who have noticed cannabis smoke while competing.
Other prominent tennis players, including Nick Kyrgios, Alexander Zverev and Maria Sakkari, have previously commented on the issue at the New York Grand Slam.
The problem has therefore become something of a recurring distraction during the tournament, particularly when wind carries the smell toward the courts.
The interruption did not prevent Sabalenka from producing another convincing performance. She controlled the match against Rakhimova and closed out the contest in straight sets to reach the fourth round.
The victory keeps Sabalenka’s title defence firmly on track as she attempts to win the US Open for a third consecutive year. She arrived in New York as the two-time defending champion after winning the tournament in 2024 and 2025. A third straight title would further cement her position among the leading players of her generation.
Sabalenka has built her game around an aggressive style, powerful groundstrokes and one of the strongest serves on the women’s tour. Her ability to maintain that attacking approach despite the unexpected interruption underlined her composure during Friday’s match.
Grand Slam matches often feature tense exchanges, medical timeouts and controversial umpiring decisions. Sabalenka’s complaint was considerably more unusual.
