Sabalenka paused match due to pungent marijuana smell from Corona Park, called it 'extremely intense'

At the 2026 US Open, Aryna Sabalenka was forced to pause her third-round match after detecting marijuana smell from Corona Park adjacent to Flushing Meadows. The Belarusian player, the defending champion currently ranked World No. 2, openly expressed discomfort with this unusual situation. The incident occurred when Sabalenka was leading 3-0 in the first set against opponent Kamila Rakhimova. The umpire contacted match officials via radio to address the issue. As a result, Sabalenka secured a final victory with a score of 6-3, 6-4. "This smell is extremely intense," Sabalenka said after the match. "I found it very difficult to concentrate." The 26-year-old player also called on fans to be more aware of this issue. Notably, this was not the first time players encountered a similar situation. Other players including Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, Francesca Jones, Novak Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev have also reported this issue at the US Open. Although smoking is completely prohibited within the venue grounds, marijuana smell from Corona Park remains a common problem. In New York, cannabis is legal for adults aged 21 and older, creating a legal dilemma when incidents occur in public areas outside the organizers' control. This event reflects the tension between the cannabis legalization trend in the United States and the professional competition environment requirements for top athletes worldwide.