Sabalenka Halts Match Over Cannabis Smell: Dominant Win and No.1 Ranking Pressure

New York, late autumn night. The Arthur Ashe Stadium was immersed in the roar of tens of thousands of spectators as Aryna Sabalenka, the world No.1, completed her third consecutive game to take a 3-0 lead over Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round of the US Open. The match was one-sided, with her opponent helpless against her powerful serves. But then, amidst the fervent rhythm, Sabalenka suddenly stopped. She walked towards umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore with a peculiar request: complaining about the strong smell of cannabis wafting from the stands. The context of that moment is not simply a routine Grand Slam match. Sabalenka entered this year's US Open in her most questioned physical and form condition in years. Since the finals at Indian Wells and Miami early in the season, she had not reached the final of any tournament. Early defeats at Roland Garros and Wimbledon had raised questions about the Belarusian's ability to maintain her peak. However, on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows, where she is the two-time defending champion, Sabalenka seems to have found herself again. Against Rakhimova, she did not face a single break point, fired 10 aces, and secured a swift 6-3, 6-4 victory. The key point of this match lies not in the scoreline, but in how Sabalenka handled the unusual incident on court. Halting the match to complain about the cannabis smell while leading 3-0 shows genuine discomfort, a tactical distraction that any player must face in New York, where cannabis is legalized. "It's a tricky thing to handle while competing at your best," Sabalenka said after the match. This action reflects a subtle psychological aspect: even when completely dominating, her focus can be disrupted by environmental factors. Her reaction shows a top athlete always on alert, but also reveals the invisible pressure from the expectation to defend her crown. The match statistics further reinforce the assessment of Sabalenka's superiority. Ten aces and facing zero break points are clear evidence of the power of her first serves and the connection between her serve and her powerful forehand. This is the foundation that allows her to maintain rhythm and control the match. The data shows her rapid adaptation to the hard court, despite pre-tournament difficulties. The combination of serving power and sound movement helps her minimize risk against a lower-ranked opponent. That is championship-level tennis. However, this statistical dominance is masking a potential tactical blind spot. The cannabis smell incident might seem like a minor detail, but it exposes a reality: Sabalenka, like many other top players, is facing a dual battle. One on the court, and one psychological battle against expectations, media pressure, and external distractions. Her strong reaction to a reporter in the post-match press conference, when asked about her pre-tournament activities, shows the existing tension. "You guys are, like, a joke... Think before you say stuff," she retorted. This shows an athlete trying to control her own media narrative, an essential part of protecting her image and focus. The biggest lesson from this match is the fragility of focus at the highest level. Even when all metrics favor you, an external factor can create a small crack in your psychology. For Sabalenka, that crack might be the cannabis smell, but for others, it could be a controversial umpiring decision or an unexpected slip. The ability to overcome these distractions to maintain match rhythm is what separates a title contender from a true champion. Sabalenka passed the first test, but bigger challenges lie ahead. The pressure of defending the world No.1 ranking is weighing heavily on Sabalenka's shoulders. She has held the top spot for 97 weeks, and failing to defend her US Open title for a third consecutive year would cost her the top ranking unless direct rival Elena Rybakina is eliminated before the semifinals. This condition creates a high-risk scenario. Every match from now until the end of the tournament is crucial. The win over Rakhimova was just the beginning. The fourth round will be a real test as she faces Taylor Townsend, an in-form home favorite enjoying passionate crowd support. Townsend has had impressive runs at this tournament in the past and will certainly not make it easy for Sabalenka. Meanwhile, in the men's draw, Carlos Alcaraz is showing a strong comeback from injury. He secured a convincing 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 victory in the fourth round, demonstrating the impressive form of a young player asserting his position. Alongside Daniil Medvedev, they are forming a vibrant new generation, ready to compete fiercely with the top names. This rise of the new generation adds another layer of pressure on veterans like Sabalenka to assert their dominance. Can Sabalenka maintain her mental steel to overcome the challenges ahead? The answer will lie in her next match against Townsend. If she continues to display the dominant form shown against Rakhimova, pundits might begin to believe she has truly overcome her difficult phase of the season. But if her focus wavers under pressure or external distractions, the door for an upset will swing open. The US Open is always a tournament of unpredictable scripts, and this time, the spotlight is on the world No.1 with a big question: does she have the mettle to turn impressive statistics into a third consecutive Grand Slam title?