New York:Aryna Sabalenka’s march through the US Open encountered an unexpected hurdle during her third-round win against Kamilla Rakhimova: the distinct odor of cannabis.
The two-time defending champion halted play early in the match on Louis Armstrong Stadium to complain to the chair umpire, noting that the heavy smell was disrupting her concentration while serving.
During the third game, tossed the ball to serve before letting it drop without hitting it. After repeating the action on the following point, she walked up to the official to address the issue.
“I was like, guys, you can do whatever, you can smoke whatever, you can relax as much as you can, but please, to not do it around the tennis courts,” Sabalenka said, when asked what she was thinking of the time. “It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best.”
Unsure of the source, she speculated that the draft inside the venue might have carried the fumes from outside the gates, where a public park borders the venue.
“I don’t know if it was, like, coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium,” Sabalenka said. “I don’t know. I just hope they’re going to be a bit more aware of that stuff.”
Concerns over cannabis smoke are not unprecedented at Flushing Meadows, with players like Maria Sakkari and Nick Kyrgios raising similar complaints in previous years. Venue security monitored the stands following the complaint, but no spectators were caught smoking or removed from the premises.
In response to the incident, US Tennis Association spokesperson Brendan McIntyre reiterated the venue’s policy regarding smoking.
“While we can’t control what takes place off the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, we continue to be vigilant as we maintain this facility as a smoke free environment,” U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Brendan McIntyre said in a statement. “This includes enforcement by our security and guest services teams when they are made aware of any individual that may be smoking, making them aware that although it may be legal in NY, that smoking is not permitted on parks property including the tennis center.”
Despite the initial frustration, the top seed took a lighter tone during her post-match press conference when asked if spectators were simply using it to enhance their viewing experience.
“Maybe it’s too fast so they want to slow down a little bit, so who knows,” she said. “I don’t know the effect from it.”