US Open 2026: Aryna Sabalenka jokes about getting high as cannabis smell disrupts her match
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This happened during her match against Kamilla Rakhimova
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus faced an unusual distraction during her third-round match at the US Open on Friday. The two-time defending champion paused play briefly after a strong smell of cannabis spread across her court, and she did not attempt to hide her amusement about it once the match wrapped up.
While leading 3-0, Sabalenka walked over to chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore to raise the issue directly. “Someone is smoking weed. Do you mind? Because it’s so strong,” she said. She went on to close out the match 6-3, 6-4 against Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova, extending her run in New York without dropping a set.
At her press conference afterwards, Sabalenka was asked how the atmosphere at this year’s tournament compared to other majors. She responded, “High? The level? Now, I can only hear weed stuff. If they’re gonna keep smoking, I might get high,” a line that got a laugh from reporters in the room.
How did Sabalenka react to the smell during her US Open match?
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Sabalenka made it clear she wasn’t trying to police anyone’s personal choices, just asking for some consideration near the court.
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“I was like, guys, you can do whatever. You can smoke, whatever. You can relax as much as you can. But please, don’t do it around the tennis courts,” she said. “It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best.”
Cannabis is legal in New York, and its smell is not unusual around the tournament site given the city surrounding it.
Even so, Sabalenka said this instance stood out as one of the stronger ones she has experienced during her years playing at Flushing Meadows.
Asked whether it was the first time she’d noticed it this intensely, she said, “That strong? Yeah. Also because it was a bit windy. I don’t know if it was coming from the crowd or the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium. I just hope they’re gonna be a bit more aware of that stuff.”
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The win sends Sabalenka into the fourth round, where she’ll face home favourite Taylor Townsend, who beat 15th seed Diana Shnaider of Russia 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-3 to reach the same stage.
Why did Aryna Sabalenka stop her match at the US Open?
She paused play briefly to speak to the chair umpire about a strong smell of cannabis on her court, which she said was distracting her while trying to compete.
What did Sabalenka say about the incident afterwards?
In her press conference, she joked about the smell affecting her focus and asked fans and spectators to be more considerate about smoking near the tennis courts, saying it was difficult to handle while competing at a high level.
Who will Sabalenka face next in the US Open 2026?
Sabalenka is into the fourth round, where she’ll face home favourite Taylor Townsend.
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