US Open 2026: Cannabis Smell and Crowd Noise Disrupt Matches, Sabalenka Stops Play

At the 2026 US Open, beyond spectacular shots from the top players, unexpected environmental factors disrupted the match rhythm. In a match at Court 17, world number one Aryna Sabalenka stopped play at 3-0, 30-0 to complain about the cannabis smell spreading from the adjacent park. The incident occurred in the second service game, when she was leading clearly, showing that the smoke not only caused disruption but also altered the player's sense of control. Although Sabalenka still won the next two sets, the pause interrupted the match tempo and forced both sides to adjust. This was not the first time at the US Open, where smoke issues and crowd noise have become hot topics in many seasons.