‘Someone’s smoking weed’: Aryna Sabalenka quits mid-match at US Open, complains of strong smell – WATCH

Aryna Sabalenka (Image Credits: Instagram) World number one Aryna Sabalenkova encountered an unusual distraction during her US Open third-round match on Friday when a strong smell of cannabis wafted onto the court at Louis Armstrong Stadium.Facing Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova, Sabalenkova got off to a fast start and led 3-0 when she briefly broke serve during her second game on serve. She approached presiding judge Eva Asderaki-Moore and pointed out a strong smell.

Sabalenka alerts the referee during the match

Sabalenka told the referee, “Somebody’s smoking weed. You wouldn’t mind … because it’s so strong.”Asderaki-Moore immediately contacted tournament officials to complain and made the smoking gesture to alert the staff. Members of the US Open team then moved into the stands to try to find the source of the smell.The interruption was brief and Sabalenkova quickly returned her attention to the match. She maintained control against Rakhimova and eventually secured a 6-3, 6-4 victory to advance to the fourth round.

The smell of cannabis is becoming a recurring problem at the US Open

The incident drew attention to a problem that has surfaced repeatedly at this year’s tournament. The Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is located next to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, where recreational cannabis use is legal for adults 21 and older in New York.However, smoking of any kind is prohibited inside the US Open grounds, meaning the stench wafting from the surrounding parkland has become an unwelcome distraction for some players. British player Katie Boulter has previously spoken of noticing an odor around the venue, particularly near Court 17.“I’ve experienced it,” Boulter said. “You get down on the practice courts and down on the park courts, you feel it a lot.“I’m not a big fan of it. I know a lot of players have complained about certain courts. I’ve played on (Court 17) before and I felt it during my match. It’s something I don’t want to feel in the middle of my match.”In response, the USTA shared the following statement: “While we cannot control what happens outside of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, we remain vigilant as we maintain the facility as a smoke-free environment.

Sabalenka keeps her title defense on track

Despite the unexpected interruption, Sabalenka remained poised and wrapped up another win in a row. The world number one, who is defending her title from the US Open, therefore advanced against Rakhimova without dropping a set and continued her quest for another championship in New York.