Sabalenka's Match Stops Due to Pungent Marijuana Smell, She Said 'Extremely Intense'

At Flushing Meadows, New York, on that afternoon, when the stuffy summer air of America seeped through the glass doors of Louis Armstrong Stadium, an important match in the third round of the 2026 US Open was suddenly interrupted. The score on the scoreboard showed Aryna Sabalenka leading Kamila Rakhimova 3-0 in the first set. But in the middle of Sabalenka controlling the game, she suddenly stopped, turned to the umpire and said she could not concentrate because of the pungent smell of marijuana drifting from Corona Park right outside the court. That moment left the empty stands in stunned silence, and the entire world of tennis had to be shaken. Sabalenka later calmly explained that this smell was 'extremely intense', making it difficult for her to focus on serves and returns. The match was paused for a while, and the umpire contacted the organizers via radio to report. Ultimately, Sabalenka still won 6-3, 6-4, holding her form despite this unexpected disruption.