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‘You can smoke whatever, but not around the courts’ Sabalenka
Updated On: 06 September, 2026 09:47 AM IST | New York | AFP
Distracted by strong marijuana smell during third-round victory, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka urges fans to keep habit away from playing area

Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka during her third-round victory over Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova on Friday. PIC/AFP
When it comes to marijuana-smoking tennis fans, Aryna Sabalenka has a simple request. “I was, like, guys, you can do whatever, you can smoke whatever. You can relax as much as you can, but please, do not do it around the tennis courts,” Sabalenka said on Friday after she was troubled by the smell of pot wafting over Louis Armstrong Stadium in her US Open third-round win.
“It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best,” said Sabalenka, who at one point complained to the umpire about the powerful smell, wondering if the official could spot the offenders.


