US Open Marijuana Delay
Aryna Sabalenka temporarily halts US Open match after detecting strong marijuana odor
Anonymous
Key Points
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Sabalenka twice tossed the ball but stopped before serving because the odor was distracting, then approached chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore for help.
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Sabalenka said fans could “smoke whatever” and relax, but asked them not to do so near the tennis courts because the smell made it difficult to compete at her best.
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Although recreational marijuana is legal in New York, smoking it on the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center grounds is prohibited; the USTA said it would continue enforcing the site’s smoke-free policy while noting it cannot control activity off the grounds.
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The incident followed similar complaints from other players at the tournament, including Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones; Nick Kyrgios and Maria Sakkari have also reported marijuana odors during matches in the past.
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Sabalenka said it was her first time playing the 11 a.m. session on Louis Armstrong Stadium and expressed gratitude that the court was full, while praising Rakhimova for making her work during the second set.
Aryna Sabalenka paused her third-round US Open match on Monday after detecting a strong marijuana odor while serving at Louis Armstrong Stadium. The world No. 1 alerted chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore, who notified officials before play resumed. ABC News reported Sabalenka said the smell made it hard to compete at her best.
The distraction did not slow Sabalenka down. She won 6-3, 6-4 against Kamilla Rakhimova to extend her US Open winning streak to 16 matches and remain on track for a third consecutive title. Yahoo Sports noted the incident occurred while Sabalenka was leading 3-0 in the opening set.
When Sabalenka Stopped Serving
Sabalenka twice tossed the ball to serve but stopped before making contact. HITC reported the Belarusian then walked to the net to address the chair umpire about the odor wafting across the court. She told Asderaki-Moore the smell was too strong to ignore. Play halted while officials investigated the complaint.
The Source Remains Unclear
Sabalenka said she was unsure whether the marijuana smoke came from spectators inside the stadium or from a nearby park outside the tournament grounds. AJC reported she remained diplomatic about it, saying fans could "smoke whatever" and relax—just not near the tennis courts. "I'm not upset," she said. "I just want people not to smoke near me."
Although recreational marijuana is legal in New York, smoking on the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center grounds is prohibited. Alloa Advertiser noted the USTA said it would enforce the smoke-free policy but acknowledged it cannot control activity off the grounds. No smoking spectators were identified or ejected during the match.
A Growing Problem at the US Open
Sabalenka is not the first player to complain about marijuana smoke at this year's tournament. Yahoo Sports reported that Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, and Francesca Jones also filed similar complaints. The issue extends beyond 2024—Nick Kyrgios and Maria Sakkari have reported marijuana odors during matches at the US Open in past years.
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