During a third-round match in the women's singles at the US Open, Arina Sabalenka smelled marijuana. As a result of this incident, she was forced to briefly stop play against Camilla Rakhimova from Uzbekistan. The match took place on the sixth day of the tournament at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center USTA in New York.
Social media users supported two-time title defender Arina Sabalenka after she complained that someone was smoking marijuana. This happened during her third-round match against Camilla Rakhimova at the Louis Armstrong Stadium. Sabalenka informed the chief umpire Eve Asderaki-Moore about the distinct smell of cannabis and later joked that it might make her 'drunk.'
After Sabalenka won with scores of 6-3, 6-4, the alleged cannabis smell was actively discussed on social media, as users expressed support for the world number one. Former Labour Party member Kevin Brennan of Cardiff West shared a BBC message, writing: 'Sabalenka stops play due to cannabis smell' — I thought grass was only played at Wimbledon.'
One user on X wrote that Arina Sabalenka should have spoken to the umpire during the US Open match because someone was smoking marijuana, quoting her words: 'Someone is smoking marijuana. Are you okay with it? Because it's so strong.'
Other commentators questioned the rules regarding smoking near the courts. One user asked: 'Is it allowed to smoke here?'. Users also found the situation amusing; one noted that Arina Sabalenka was literally forced to stop the match because someone in the crowd was smoking marijuana, adding that it helps relieve stress and helps her win.
Some users called the incident a 'disgrace' for the city. One stated: 'A professional tennis player today had to stop a US Open match because someone was smoking marijuana at the stadium. It is a disgrace to New York.'
World number one Arina Sabalenka paused her third-round match at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, informing the umpire that the smell was too strong, after which she still won with a score of 6-3, 6-4. Later, she stated that fans can smoke whatever they want, just not near the court. She added: 'We as a society allow too much to happen. I am not a tennis fan—but this is a significant event. And people should behave accordingly, since visitors are paying, and players are competing in an important event.'
During the press conference, Sabalenka was also asked about the incident. A reporter asked: 'How high are you here compared to other majors?' To this, she replied: 'High? Level? Now I only hear things about marijuana. If they keep smoking, I might get drunk.'
She continued: 'I'm like: guys, you can do whatever you want. You can smoke whatever you want. You can relax as much as you can. But please, don't do it near the tennis courts. It's a bit difficult to deal with this smell when you are trying to compete at your best level.'
When asked if this was the first time she had smelled marijuana, the world number one replied: 'So strong? Yes. Also because it was a bit windy. I don't know where it came from—the crowd or outside, because the wind is blowing it onto the stadium. I just hope they will be more aware of these things.'