Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka was disturbed by a strong smell of cannabis during her third-round match at the US Open 2026.
Sabalenka briefly stopped the match after the strong smell distracted her. She complained to the umpire, saying, “Someone is smoking cannabis and the smell is very strong.”
The match referee then signalled to an official that someone was smoking a cigarette behind Sabalenka. Play was paused for a short time after her complaint and resumed after the umpire informed the official.
Sabalenka went on to win the match and secured her place in the fourth round.
Speaking to the media afterwards, Sabalenka said she did not know where the smell was coming from but urged fans to be considerate.
“I don’t know where the smell was coming from, but fans should be careful. When you are trying to play your best tennis, it is difficult to deal with a smell like that. I don’t know whether it was coming from the crowd or from outside because there was some wind at the time,” she said.
Smoking is not allowed on the courts at Flushing Meadows. However, the smell of cannabis can sometimes reach the courts with the wind.
Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev have also complained about similar smells during matches in the past.
