Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, world No. 1, complained about the strong smell of marijuana during her match against Russia's Rakhimova at the US Open on Friday (4). The complaint was made when she was serving in the third game of the match, in a scene that has become recurring in recent years at the New York Grand Slam.
Sabalenka directly asked the chair umpire: "Is someone smoking marijuana? Do you mind doing something? Because it's very strong," expressing her discomfort with the situation. The match took place on the Louis Armstrong court, the second largest in the Flushing Meadows complex.
The Belarusian won the match 2 sets to 0, with scores of 6-3 and 6-4, advancing to the quarterfinals of the tournament. In the press conference after the victory, she revealed she had briefly spoken with spectators who were smoking at the venue, telling them they could do whatever they wanted, smoke whatever they wanted, and relax as much as they wanted.
