A Unusual Interruption on Louis Armstrong Stadium
Aryna Sabalenka's third-round US Open match against Kamilla Rakhimova took a memorable turn when the top seed paused play early in the opening set to alert chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore that someone nearby was smoking cannabis. Sabalenka, who had raced into a 3-0 lead, told the umpire the smell was powerful enough to affect her concentration and asked for staff to deal with it. Asderaki-Moore radioed for assistance and gestured toward the crowd before play resumed. Smoking of any kind is officially banned inside the Flushing Meadows grounds, though cannabis smoke sometimes drifts in from Corona Park, which borders the venue. New York state law permits adults aged 21 and older to smoke cannabis, creating a gray area that has frustrated multiple players this fortnight. British player Katie Boulter, as well as Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones, each reported noticing the smell during their matches. In past editions of the tournament, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev raised similar objections. Former professional John Isner, speaking on a podcast before the Sabalenka incident, called the complaints a complete non-issue, arguing that the smell is simply part of everyday life in New York City.
Sabalenka Keeps Rolling Toward Another Deep Run
Despite the distraction, Sabalenka was clinical throughout. She dropped just four points on serve in the first set and fired 10 aces across the match without facing a single break point. Rakhimova made the second set far more competitive, repeatedly saving break points before Sabalenka finally broke to lead 5-4 and closed it out. The victory extended Sabalenka's winning run at Flushing Meadows to 16 consecutive matches as she chases a third straight US Open title, a feat no woman has achieved since Serena Williams completed three consecutive victories there between 2012 and 2014. Sabalenka said afterward she hoped fans would be more considerate, noting that handling the smell while competing at the highest level is genuinely tricky. Her next opponent will be either Taylor Townsend or Diana Shnaider, the 15th seed who eliminated Sabalenka at the French Open earlier this year. TennisDraw users have been backing Sabalenka heavily in their bracket picks to go deep in this draw once again.
