Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one tennis player, halted her US Open match against Kamilla Rakhimova after complaining about a strong smell of cannabis on court at Flushing Meadows. The match resumed after Sabalenka alerted the umpire to the issue and she went on to win 6-3, 6-4. This is not the first time players have complained about cannabis smoke at the US Open, where recreational cannabis is legal for adults over 21 in New York. Sabalenka expressed her hope that people would be more mindful of smoking near the tennis courts.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
World number one Aryna Sabalenka halted her US Open match against Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova after claiming she could smell cannabis.
The odour of cannabis is common at Flushing Meadows.
uncertain
odour → halt → Meadows
Sabalenka put the distraction to the side to win 6-3, 6-4 and move through to the fourth round.
asserted
Sabalenka → put → round
Aryna Sabalenka had an unusual interruption during her US Open third-round match, stopping play to alert the umpire to a strong smell of cannabis drifting onto Louis Armstrong Stadium court.
asserted
Sabalenka → have → court
The world number one, who secured a 6-3, 6-4 win against Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova, raised the issue during her second service game, pointing out the smell before play resumed.
asserted
play → secure → smell
"Someone is smoking weed," top seed Sabalenka told umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore as she was serving 30-0 up.
asserted
she → smoke → Moore
"Do you mind?
asserted
you → mind → ?
Sabalenka later told reporters she was not objecting to anyone enjoying themselves but pleaded for the smoking to be kept away from the court.
"
asserted
smoking → tell → court
I was like, 'Guys, you can do whatever, you can smoke whatever, you can relax as much as you can, but please not do it around the tennis courts,'" a smiling Sabalenka said.
asserted
Sabalenka → do → courts
"It's a bit tricky to handle that smell while you're trying to compete at your best."
asserted
you → handle → best
The odour of cannabis has become a familiar — if unwelcome — feature at Flushing Meadows, with players complaining about the distraction in the past.
asserted
players → become → past
While smoking is not permitted inside the grounds, recreational cannabis is legal for adults over 21 in New York.
asserted
cannabis → permit → York
Smoke from people in the surrounding Flushing Meadows-Corona Park can drift into the tennis complex and on to the courts.
asserted
Smoke → surround → courts
Sabalenka said she had previously smelled cannabis at the tournament but never so strongly during a match, with the wind apparently carrying the odour into the stadium.
asserted
wind → say → stadium
"I don't know if it was coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium," she said.
asserted
she → know → stadium
"I just hope they are a bit more aware of that stuff."
asserted
they → hope → stuff
As her post-match media conference continued, Sabalenka laughed when questions returned to the subject.
"Come on, guys.
asserted
questions → continue → subject
I think there is nothing else to say about weed," she said.
asserted
she → think → weed
"I'm just asking people not to smoke it next to the tennis court."
Pegula advances to fourth round
Jessica
asserted
Pegula → ask → round
Pegula rallied from behind to beat fellow former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 and make the fourth round.
asserted
Pegula → rally → round
Third seed Pegula faces Sorana Cîrstea in the last 16 and will need to iron out some of the flaws in her game after a sluggish start against Fernandez.
asserted
Pegula → face → Fernandez
But the American showed the resilience and composure that have made her one of the title contenders.
asserted
her → show → contenders
Back at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where her dream run ended against Emma Raducanu in the 2021 final, Fernandez seized the initiative and rarely allowed Pegula to find any rhythm early in the contest.
"It was really tough today.
asserted
It → end → contest
I always feel it's hard to play her.
asserted
it → feel → her
I never feel comfortable when I play her, even when I have won," said Pegula, who was the 2024 US Open runner-up.
asserted
who → feel → her
"I was going to have to dig deep.
asserted
I → go → ?
I'm glad I was able to find somewhere there in the second set to turn it around.
asserted
I → find → it
A lot of it revolves around my serve.
asserted
lot → revolve → serve
Romanian 16th seed Cîrstea, 36, extended her impressive farewell-season campaign with a clinical 6-3, 6-3 win over Italy's 19th-seeded Jasmine Paolini.
asserted
Cîrstea → extend → Paolini
Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk, seeded 11th in New York, advanced to the fourth round with a straight-sets 6-3, 6-2 victory over Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova.
asserted
Kostyuk → seed → Alexandrova
In the men's draw, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz underlined his status as the player to beat with a ruthless 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 victory over China's Wu Yibing.
asserted
Alcaraz → defend → Yibing
The victory extended Alcaraz's match-winning streak at the majors to 17 following his triumph at Flushing Meadows last year and his Australian Open win in February.
asserted
victory → extend → February
The two-time US Open victor next faces American 20th seed Tommy Paul, who defeated 15th-seeded Alexander Bublik 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-3.
asserted
who → face → Bublik
Meanwhile, Russian seventh seed Daniil Medvedev overpowered Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory.
asserted
Medvedev → overpower → victory
