Sports · 5 September 2026
Sabalenka stops US Open match, complaining of strong cannabis smell
Rick Munroe via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Aryna Sabalenka paused her match at the US Open because of a very strong smell of weed on her court. The two-time defending champion, who said the smell was tricky to handle, was leading 3-0 against Kamilla Rakhimova when she told the chair umpire. The legality of cannabis in New York means its scent is frequently detectable near the tournament grounds.
Reported by The Guardian · How we write briefs