Aryna Sabalenka Calls Out Fan for Smoking Weed Mid-Match in Stunning US Open Moment

Aryna Sabalenka is accustomed to dealing with pressure at the US Open. The world No. 1 has played some of the biggest matches of her career under the bright lights of Flushing Meadows, where every movement, noise and reaction can become part of the spectacle.

But during her third-round match against Kamilla Rakhimova on Friday, September 4, the defending champion encountered a distraction that had nothing to do with her opponent.

It was the smell of cannabis.

Early in the match on Louis Armstrong Stadium, Sabalenka suddenly stopped and turned toward chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore. She had noticed a strong marijuana odor drifting onto the court and wanted officials to address it.

“Someone is smoking weed,” Sabalenka told the umpire, adding that the smell was extremely strong. (Reuters)

The unexpected exchange quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the day’s play.

Sabalenka refuses to ignore the distraction

Sabalenka was already in control when the incident happened. She had made a quick start against Rakhimova and was serving early in the first set when she noticed the odor.

Rather than simply trying to ignore it, she paused and spoke directly to the umpire.

The official contacted tournament personnel, and a smoking gesture was made toward the stands as staff attempted to determine where the smell was coming from. (The Times of India)

Importantly, reports later indicated that no fan was found smoking inside the tennis grounds and no spectator was ejected. The smell may have drifted into the venue from the surrounding area rather than originating inside the stadium itself. (Times Union)

That distinction adds an interesting twist to the story.

The headline may make it sound as though officials caught a spectator red-handed, but the available reporting does not establish that.

Why cannabis smells around the US Open

The issue isn’t entirely new.

The Billie Jean King National Tennis Center sits alongside Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, and recreational cannabis is legal for adults 21 and older in New York.

However, smoking is prohibited inside the US Open grounds.

Because the surrounding park is so close to the tournament complex, smoke can sometimes drift toward the courts. Players have complained about the odor at the US Open in previous years, particularly on courts closer to the park. (Reuters)

That makes the situation particularly difficult for tournament organizers.

They can enforce rules inside their facility, but they cannot completely control activities taking place outside the grounds.

Sabalenka wasn’t the first player to complain

The world No. 1’s reaction wasn’t an isolated incident.

British player Katie Boulter has previously discussed noticing cannabis smells around Flushing Meadows and said the odor could be distracting during matches. (The Times of India)

Other prominent players have encountered the same problem.

Nick Kyrgios complained about the smell during the 2022 US Open, even expressing concern that it could aggravate his asthma. Maria Sakkari also complained about a strong cannabis odor during the tournament the following year, while Alexander Zverev famously remarked that the smell seemed to be everywhere. (Sky News)

So while Sabalenka’s interruption was unusual, the underlying issue has been discussed around the tournament for years.

Why even a smell can matter in professional tennis

To a spectator watching from home, a smell may sound like a minor inconvenience.

For an elite tennis player, however, concentration is everything.

A professional match requires players to monitor the ball, anticipate an opponent’s movement, control their breathing and maintain precise timing. Even a brief distraction can interrupt that mental rhythm.

Sabalenka’s reaction suggested that the odor was strong enough to become impossible to ignore.

She wasn’t complaining about the legality of cannabis itself. Her point was about the playing environment.

After the match, she made clear that she respects people’s freedoms but would prefer smoke to be kept away from the tennis courts because players need to concentrate. (Reuters)

That’s a fairly straightforward request.

She quickly got back to business

The most impressive part of the episode may have been what happened afterward.

Once play resumed, Sabalenka didn’t allow the bizarre interruption to derail her performance.

She continued playing aggressively and eventually defeated Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4, advancing to the fourth round. (Reuters)

The victory extended her US Open winning streak to 16 matches and kept her bid for another championship alive.

In other words, the unusual interruption became little more than a footnote in another successful day for the defending champion.

A different kind of US Open distraction

Sabalenka’s cannabis complaint comes during a tournament that has already been discussing crowd behavior and distractions.

The 2026 US Open has seen growing attention around influencers and content creators attending matches. Players including Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff have raised concerns about noise, photography and other forms of disruption, while organizers have attempted to balance increased social-media exposure with traditional tennis etiquette. (AP News)

That creates a broader conversation about what spectators should—and shouldn’t—do during professional sporting events.

Fans naturally want to have fun.

They want to cheer, take photographs and share their experiences.

But players are competing at the highest level of their sport, where concentration can be affected by seemingly small disturbances.

The Sabalenka incident therefore fits into a much larger discussion about how modern spectators behave at major sporting events.

The headline is more dramatic than the confirmed facts

The phrase “fan smoking weed mid-match” makes for an eye-catching headline.

But the confirmed details are slightly more nuanced.

Sabalenka smelled cannabis and believed someone was smoking. She reported it to the umpire. Tournament staff investigated. However, AP reported that no fan was found smoking and no one was ejected. (Times Union)

That means it would be inaccurate to definitively say that officials identified a particular fan as the source.

The smell could have originated outside the tournament grounds.

This is an important distinction, particularly when a viral sports moment spreads rapidly online.

Another chapter in Sabalenka’s remarkable New York story

For Sabalenka, the incident is unlikely to define her tournament.

Her focus remains on defending the title she won in the previous two editions of the US Open.

She has developed a reputation for powerful serving, aggressive baseline tennis and an intense competitive personality. But recent seasons have also shown a more composed side of her game.

That composure was evident again in Louis Armstrong Stadium.

A strange smell interrupted her concentration.

She complained.

Officials responded.

And then she went back to work.

The result was another straight-sets victory.

What makes the moment memorable

Tennis matches can sometimes produce unforgettable moments for unexpected reasons.

A dramatic comeback.

A controversial line call.

A spectacular rally.

A rain delay.

And now, apparently, a marijuana smell.

Sabalenka’s reaction was particularly memorable because it was so spontaneous. She wasn’t delivering a prepared statement to journalists or discussing the subject after the tournament.

She was in the middle of a competitive match when something unusual distracted her, and she immediately told the umpire.

The moment captured the contrast between the highly controlled environment of professional tennis and the unpredictable atmosphere surrounding a huge public event.

The bigger picture

The episode also highlights a unique feature of the US Open.

Flushing Meadows is not an isolated tennis resort. It is part of a huge urban environment, surrounded by parks, roads, public spaces and millions of people.

That proximity contributes to the energy of the tournament—but it can also create challenges.

Noise can travel.

Smells can drift.

Crowds can become unpredictable.

And players have to compete in the middle of it all.

The USTA has emphasized that the tournament facility itself remains smoke-free, while acknowledging that it cannot control everything happening outside its property. (The Times of India)

For players such as Sabalenka, the hope is simply that the atmosphere doesn’t interfere with the competition.

Sabalenka’s message was ultimately simple

Despite the humorous nature of the incident, Sabalenka’s message wasn’t complicated.

She wasn’t trying to create a controversy.

She wanted to play tennis without an overpowering smell distracting her.

And after making that point, she demonstrated why she remains one of the world’s best players: she put the distraction behind her and finished the job.

The 2026 US Open will ultimately be remembered for who wins the championship, not for an unexpected smell drifting across Louis Armstrong Stadium.

But for one morning in New York, Aryna Sabalenka vs. Kamilla Rakhimova briefly became Aryna Sabalenka vs. the mysterious cloud of cannabis smoke.

And judging by the final score, the world No. 1 won both battles.