Tennis player stops match after fan sparks joint at U.S. Open
Was this the U.S. Open or a Rush concert?
On Friday, top-ranked women’s tennis player Aryna Sabalenka was taking on Kamilla Rakhimova during Round Three of the U.S. Open.
But just minutes into the match, Sabalenka stopped the action.
At first, the commentators went silent, seemingly unsure of why Sabalenka was walking over to the chair umpire.
Then, the cameras picked up Sabalenka’s gripe.
“Someone is smoking weed,” she said. “Do you mind? Because it’s so strong.”
Aryna Sabalenka had to speak to the umpire mid-match at the U.S. Open due to someone smoking weed:
āSomeone is smoking weed. Do you mind? Because itās so strong.ā
pic.twitter.com/Fx2JnzZ6QN— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 4, 2026
The match resumed shortly thereafter, and Sabalenka seemed unbothered by the scent. She went on to win the match 6-3, 6-4.
She was asked about the unusual incident after the match.
“I was like, guys, you can do whatever, you can smoke whatever, you can relax as much as you can,” she said. “But please, do not do it around the tennis courts; it’s a bit…tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best.”
Recreational marijuana use has been legal in New York State since 2021, and cannabis has been available for purchase since 2022.
So, you would think in 2026, those 420-friendly tennis fans might have opted for a more discreet vape? Or an edible, perhaps?
Sabalenka went viral for this bizarre moment at the U.S. Open, but this isn’t the first time she’s drawn attention for something unique at this tournament.
After Friday’s victory, Sabalenka revealed that she’s wearing a $400,000 Material Good necklace for more than just showing off.
“This is a Material Good set designed for me for the US Open, fully inspired by the U.S. Open’s vibes. Colourful, bold, bright, a lot, so I love it,” Sabalenka said.
“And, the main tactic is to distract my opponents with the sparkles.”
Well, so far, it seems to be working.
The no-nonsense Belarusian also called out a journalist after the guy started asking a question about her going to parties and having fun off the court.
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Sabalenka cut him off and interjected right away.
“You guys are a joke,” she said. “Parties, fun, like, why would you even say that? Why would you even think about that? What kind of question is that?”
“Just because I posted some activities with brands, you think that I’ve been partying, not training?”
After a brief back-and-forth, the journalist rephrased the question by asking, “Now that the tournament has started, do you find you’re getting more serious and combative?”
“Oh yeah, I wasn’t serious before,” Sabalenka clapped back. “Next question.”
Certainly hasn’t been a quiet tournament for the world’s best women’s tennis player. Sabalenka is back in action on Sunday, Sept. 6, versus Taylor Townsend.