Aryna Sabalenka complains about the smell of marijuana during her US Open match

Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending U.S. Open champion, revealed that the smell of marijuana disturbed her during her third-round match against Kamilla Rakhimova. Early in the match, she complained to the chair umpire, indicating that the odor was so strong in her third game that she had to stop the point. Sabalenka speculated that the smell could be coming from the crowd or outside due to the wind carrying it into the stadium.

She expressed her hope that officials would be more vigilant about the issue. No fans were found smoking on the premises, and the U.S. Tennis Association has stated they are committed to maintaining a smoke-free environment. Despite the distraction, Sabalenka managed to win the match and eventually chuckled about the incident during her post-match press conference.