Aryna Sabalenka (Image Credits: Instagram)

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka encountered an unusual distraction during her US Open third-round match on Friday when a strong cannabis smell reached the court at Louis Armstrong Stadium.Sabalenka was facing Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova and had made a fast start, leading 3-0 when she briefly stopped play during her second service game. She approached chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore and pointed out the strong odour.

Sabalenka alerts umpire during match

Sabalenka told the umpire: "Someone is smoking weed. Would you mind to... because it's so strong."Asderaki-Moore immediately contacted tournament officials over the complaint and made a smoking gesture to alert staff. Members of the US Open team then moved into the stands to try to locate the source of the smell.The interruption was brief and Sabalenka quickly returned her attention to the match. She maintained control against Rakhimova and eventually secured a 6-3, 6-4 victory to advance to the fourth round.

Cannabis smell becomes recurring US Open issue

The incident highlighted an issue that has surfaced repeatedly at this year's tournament. The Billie Jean King National Tennis Center sits next to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, where recreational cannabis use is legal for adults aged 21 and over in New York.However, smoking of any kind is prohibited inside the US Open grounds, meaning the smell drifting over from the surrounding park has become an unwelcome distraction for some players. British player Katie Boulter had previously spoken about noticing the smell around the venue, particularly near Court 17."I have experienced it," Boulter said. "You got down to the practice courts and down in the park courts, you do smell it a lot.""I’m not a huge fan of it. I know a lot of players have complained on specific courts. I’ve played on (Court 17) before and I did smell it during my match. It’s something that I wouldn’t like to smell in the middle of my match."In response, the USTA shared the following statement: 'While we can’t control what takes place off the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, we continue to be vigilant as we maintain this facility as a smoke-free environment.

Sabalenka keeps title defence on track

Despite the unexpected interruption, Sabalenka stayed composed and closed out another straight-sets victory. The world No. 1, who is defending her US Open title, therefore advanced without dropping a set against Rakhimova and continued her bid for another championship in New York.