‘It’s so strong’ — Sabalenka halts play over cannabis smell

Aryna Sabalenka briefly stopped her US Open match against Kamilla Rakhimova after complaining about a strong smell of cannabis coming from the stands.

The top seed raised the issue after taking a 3-0 lead in the opening set against Uzbekistan’s Rakhimova on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

“Someone is smoking weed,” Sabalenka told umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore before asking her to intervene because “it’s so strong”.

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Asderaki-Moore contacted an official by radio and made a smoking gesture towards someone behind her before play resumed.

The interruption did not affect Sabalenka’s concentration as the two-time defending champion went on to beat Rakhimova 6-3 6-4 and reach the fourth round.

The Belarusian is bidding for a third consecutive US Open title and a fifth Grand Slam singles crown.

Sabalenka is not the first player at this year’s tournament to complain about the smell of cannabis at Flushing Meadows.

Britain’s Katie Boulter described the smell as distracting last week, while Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones have also noticed it during matches.

Players including Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev have made similar complaints at previous US Open tournaments.

Smoking is prohibited at the Flushing Meadows site, although the smell of cannabis can drift onto the courts from nearby Corona Park. Recreational cannabis is legal in New York for adults aged 21 and over.

Sabalenka’s victory extended her winning streak at Flushing Meadows to 16 matches as she attempts to become the first woman since Serena Williams between 2012 and 2014 to win three consecutive US Open singles titles.

The 28-year-old produced another dominant serving display against Rakhimova, dropping only four points on serve in the first set.

Rakhimova offered greater resistance in the second set, but Sabalenka secured the decisive break to move 5-4 ahead before serving out the match.

Sabalenka hit 10 aces compared with Rakhimova’s two and did not face a single break point.

She will next face either American Taylor Townsend or 15th seed Diana Shnaider of Russia, who defeated Sabalenka in the French Open quarter-finals in June.