US Open 2026: Cannabis smell around the courts – a problem tactics cannot solve

Aryna Sabalenka stopped play at 30-0 in the second service game of a US Open match to complain about the smell of cannabis drifting into the court. She had already led 3-0 and went on to win the next two sets, but the interruption renewed a familiar problem at Flushing Meadows. The tournament is set inside a public park, where organizers cannot fully control air quality. Court 17 has long been mentioned as a trouble spot. Similar complaints have come from Martina Hingis, Nick Kyrgios, Maria Sakkari, Casper Ruud and Katie Boulter. This recurring pattern points to a structural issue, not one player’s sensitivity. Tactical analysis cannot solve the problem because no technical data about serve or return errors before and after the stoppage was recorded. The relationship between cannabis smell and the final result remains unclear. A more disruptive effect may fall on the server rather than the player complaining. Rakhimova was serving and needed rhythm while trailing 3-0. When Sabalenka raised her hand, the server’s flow was broken. Correlation is not causation, and the limited evidence does not prove the smell changed the match. But US Open organizers must respond systematically. Otherwise, environmental distractions will become another permanent part of outdoor Grand Slam tennis.