Aryna Sabalenka stops US Open match after smelling weed

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Aryna Sabalenka stops US Open match after smelling weed originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Aryna Sabalenka had to talk with the umpire during her match after she smelled marijuana. 

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The world's No. 1 player had to stop her match against Kamilla Rakhimova in the first set after she experienced an overwhelming smell of marijuana at the Louis Armstrong Stadium on Sept. 4. 

“Someone is smoking weed,” Sabalenka told Eva Asderaki-Moore as she led the set 2-0. “Would you mind … because it’s so strong.”

After Sabalenka spoke to the umpire, the match resumed, and she won 6-3, 6-4. That match marked her 16th consecutive win at the US Open.

"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 after the match. "It's a bit tricky to handle that smell while you're trying to compete at your best."

She added: "It was a bit windy. I don't know if it was, like, coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium. I don't know. I just hope they're gonna be a bit more aware of that stuff."

A fan was not found smoking, nor was anyone ejected from the match. It's unclear exactly where the smoke came from, but there is a park behind the tennis grounds where it could have come from. 

"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," U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Brendan McIntyre said in a statement. "This 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."

Prior to Sabalenka speaking out about the marijuana smell, tennis stars Nick Kyrgios and Maria Sakkari have also complained in the past.

Sabalenka's next match will be on Sept. 6 against Taylor Townsend at 11 a.m. ET.

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