{"id":8117,"date":"2026-09-05T04:10:53","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T04:10:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=8117"},"modified":"2026-09-05T04:10:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T04:10:53","slug":"aryna-sabalenka-calls-out-fan-for-smoking-weed-mid-match-in-stunning-us-open-moment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=8117","title":{"rendered":"Aryna Sabalenka calls out fan for smoking weed mid-match in stunning US Open moment"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Aryna Sabalenka defeated two opponents on Friday: Ukrainian\u00a0Kamilla Rakhimova\u00a0and the strong odor of marijuana.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more Saylor Hayes autopsy results released days after parents arrested, extradited<\/a><\/p>\n

The top-ranked women\u2019s player in the world paused her third-round U.S. Open match inside Louis Armstrong Stadium in the first set after smelling weed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Leading 3-0 at the time, on her way to an easy 6-3, 6-4 victory in the one hour, 29 minute match, Sabalenka complained to\u00a0chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore about it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was, like, \u2018Guys, 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,\u2019\u201d she said later. \u201cIt\u2019s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you\u2019re trying to compete at your best.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recreational marijuana use is legal in New York City.<\/p>\n

Asderaki-Moore spoke to an official through her hand-held radio and made a smoking gesture to someone behind her. It was uncertain where the smell was coming from after security searched the area.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we can\u2019t 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,\u201d the USTA said in a statement. \u201cThis includes enforcement by our security and guest services teams when they are made aware of any individual that may be smoking, making them aware that although it may be legal in NY, that smoking is not permitted on parks property including the tennis center. We constantly work with the NYPD and Parks Department, and we believe this has helped to decrease any smoking near our fenceline.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sabalenka, a two-time U.S. Open champion who has now won 16 matches in a row in Flushing Meadows, fielded several questions on the smell of reefer. It wasn\u2019t the first time she\u2019s noticed it, but the strength of the scent on Friday was significant.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it was a bit windy, I don\u2019t know if it was coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blew it into the stadium,\u201d she said. \u201cI just hope they\u2019re going to be a bit more aware of that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sabalenka had fun with the topic, smiling throughout her press conference which was dominated by the issue. When one reporter tried to delve deeper into the matter, Sabalenka playfully stopped him.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more Inside Lindsay Clancy\u2019s life at psych hospital where she\u2019ll remain following mistrial<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cMore about the weed? Come on, guys,\u201d she said. \u201cYou were the one who was smoking, maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n

When another tried to change the subject, asking Sabalenka how much of a high she gets playing at the U.S. Open compared to other tournaments, she laughed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHigh? The level? Now I can only hear the weed stuff,\u201d Sabalenka said. \u201cIf they\u2019re gonna keep smoking, I might get high.\u201d<\/p>\n

Third-seeded American Jessica Pegula was asked about her experience at the Open in terms of smelling marijuana. She said that part of what makes the tournament fun is it is at times \u201call over the place and chaotic.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously the weed thing, I don\u2019t know how you really stop that,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So far, Sabalenka\u2019s press conferences have been more entertaining than her matches. In three rounds, she has yet to drop a set. After her second-round victory, she snapped at a reporter for asking her about her mood now that the tournament started, after\u00a0a week of \u201cparties and fun and stuff like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Sabalenka didn\u2019t like the question.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys are, like, a joke. Parties, fun\u2026 like, why would \u2060you even say that? Why would you \u2060even think about that? Like, what kind of question is that?\u201d the\u00a0Belarusian\u00a0ssuperstar said. \u201cJust because I posted, like,\u00a0some activities with brands, and you think that I\u2019ve been partying, not training?\u201d<\/p>\n

Someone was partying during her match, and it served as a distraction to Sabalenka.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more \u2018Wheel of Fortune\u2019 announcer Jim Thornton fired after in-flight pedophilia chatroom incident<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aryna Sabalenka paused her third-round match against Kamilla Rakhimova had to speak to the umpire at the US Open about someone smoking weed at the at Louis Armstrong Stadium.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8116,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tennis"],"yoast_head":"\nAryna Sabalenka calls out fan for smoking weed mid-match in stunning US Open moment - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=8117\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Aryna Sabalenka calls out fan for smoking weed mid-match in stunning US Open moment - 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