Sabalenka halts US Open match over cannabis smell

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka briefly halted her third-round match at the US Open on Friday, September 4, 2026, due to a strong smell of cannabis that drifted onto Louis Armstrong Stadium. The incident occurred early in the contest as Sabalenka was serving with a 3-0 lead against Kamilla Rakhimova. Sabalenka alerted chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore, stating, "Someone is smoking weed. Would you mind to tell them to deal with it because it's so strong." Play was paused while the umpire contacted an official and made a gesture indicating the issue. Following the brief interruption, play resumed, and Sabalenka went on to secure a 6-3, 6-4 victory, advancing to the fourth round. The two-time defending champion later commented on the disruption, explaining that while she had encountered the smell during the tournament before, it had never been as potent during a match. She suggested that windy conditions may have carried the odor into the stadium. "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 told reporters after the match.