{
  "id": 5657240,
  "title": "Sabalenka interrupts US Open match over cannabis smell",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sabalenka-interrupts-us-open-match-over-cannabis-smell-5657240",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-04T22:37:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/racquet-sports/2026/09/1525967/sabalenka-interrupts-us-open-match-over-cannabis-smell"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "New York - World number one Aryna Sabalenka briefly halted her U.S. Open match on Friday due to the overpowering aroma of cannabis wafting towards Louis Armstrong Stadium court. The top-seeded player, who had a commanding 3-0 lead, alerted the umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore during her second service game, expressing concern over the strong smell. \"Would you mind to... because it's so strong,\" Sabalenka requested of the umpire.\n\nPost-match, Sabalenka clarified that she wasn't criticizing anyone's personal enjoyment but emphasized the need to keep the smoking away from the tennis courts. \"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,\" she said with a smile. \"It's a bit tricky to handle that smell while you're trying to compete at your best.\"\n\nCannabis use, while not allowed inside the grounds, is legal for adults in New York. The strong wind on Friday is believed to have carried the odor into the stadium. This incident highlights the ongoing issue of cannabis smoke affecting matches at Flushing Meadows. Fellow player Jessica Pegula echoed Sabalenka's concerns, suggesting that more could be done to minimize disruptions from external factors.",
  "summary": "NEW YORK: World number one Aryna Sabalenka had an unusual interruption during her U.S. Open third-round match on Friday, stopping play to alert the umpire to a strong smell of cannabis drifting on to Louis Armstrong Stadium court.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "Sabalenka interrupts US Open match over smell of cannabis",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sabalenka-interrupts-us-open-match-over-smell-of-cannabis",
        "published": "2026-09-04T16:14:26.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Sabalenka interrupts US Open match over cannabis smell",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sabalenka-interrupts-us-open-match-over-cannabis-smell",
        "published": "2026-09-04T16:40:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Sabalenka gets through tough test at the US Open, with Williams sisters in doubles action at night",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sabalenka-gets-through-tough-test-at-the-us-open-with-williams",
        "published": "2026-09-04T17:15:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Sabalenka, Pegula get through tough tests at US Open, with Williams sisters playing doubles at night",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sabalenka-pegula-get-through-tough-tests-at-us-open-with-williams",
        "published": "2026-09-04T20:23:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Sabalenka interrupts US Open match against Rakhimova over cannabis smell",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sabalenka-interrupts-us-open-match-against-rakhimova-over-cannabis",
        "published": "2026-09-04T21:05:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News",
        "title": "Sabalenka interrupts US Open match over cannabis smell",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sabalenka-interrupts-us-open-match-over-cannabis-smell-5645285",
        "published": "2026-09-04T21:07:31.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}