‘Someone is smoking’: Tennis superstar calls out fan in bizarre moment — US Open Wrap

Aryna Sabalenka defeated two opponents on Saturday: Ukrainian Kamilla Rakhimova and the strong odour of marijuana.

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The top-ranked women’s player in the world paused her third-round U.S. Open match inside Louis Armstrong Stadium in the first set after smelling weed.

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 chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore about it.

“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,’” she said later.

“It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best.”

Recreational marijuana use is legal in New York City.

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.

“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,” the USTA 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. We constantly work with the NYPD and Parks Department, and we believe this has helped to decrease any smoking near our fenceline.”

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’t the first time she’s noticed it, but the strength of the scent on Friday was significant.

“Because it was a bit windy, I don’t know if it was coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blew it into the stadium,” she said. “I just hope they’re going to be a bit more aware of that stuff.”

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.

“More about the weed? Come on, guys,” she said. “You were the one who was smoking, maybe?”

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.

“High? The level? Now I can only hear the weed stuff,” Sabalenka said. “If they’re gonna keep smoking, I might get high.”

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 “all over the place and chaotic.”

“Obviously the weed thing, I don’t know how you really stop that,” she said.

So far, Sabalenka’s 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 a week of “parties and fun and stuff like that.”

Sabalenka didn’t like the question.

“You guys are, like, a joke. Parties, fun… like, why would ⁠you even say that? Why would you ⁠even think about that? Like, what kind of question is that?” the Belarusian ssuperstar said. “Just because I posted, like, some activities with brands, and you think that I’ve been partying, not training?”

— New York Post

ALCARAZ CRUISES TO NEXT ROUND

Elsewhere, defending singles champion Carlos Alcaraz sailed into the last 16 with a win over China’s Wu Yibing 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to book his place in the fourth round.

Alcaraz will face 20th-seeded American Tommy Paul for a place in the quarter-finals after Paul beat 15th-seeded Alexander Bublik 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 6-3.

“The way he plays is unbelievable, the rhythm he has on every shot -- forehand, backhand,” Alcaraz said of Wu.

“His balls skid a lot on the court and, for me, it’s really difficult to control sometimes.

“But I think I stayed there. I played aggressive. I played smart in the toughest moments.”

Wu recovered an early break in each of the first two sets, but Alcaraz pocketed both with breaks in the final games and after saving a pair of break points in the first game of the third the Spaniard rolled home.

“I think my level is really good,” he said. “I’ve got into the rhythm of the competition. I’m getting there.”

AUSSIE HELPS ELIMINATED WILLIAMS SISTERS

With Alcaraz and Sabalenka among the early starters, all eyes on the evening session were on the Williams sisters, partnering in a Grand Slam doubles event for the first time since 2022.

The duo returned to the US Open stage comes after 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena came out of a four-year retirement to play at Wimbledon.

But the most famous sister act in tennis -- who won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together along with three Olympic gold medals -- were beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (10/7) by 14th seeds Chan Hao-ching of Taiwan and Australia’s Maya Joint in a marathon three-hour battle.

The Williams’ duo had showed flashes of their brilliant best after recovering from losing the first set to level the match after taking the second set on a tie-break.

Momentum and a raucous New York crowd appeared to be carrying them towards victory after they sprinted into a 5-0 lead in the third set tie-break. But Chan and Joint fought back superbly to erase the deficit before clinching victory.

ELSEWHERE AT THE OPEN

In other singles action, third-seeded American Jessica Pegula, one of the players with a chance to knock Sabalenka off her No. 1 perch, mounted a desperate fightback to beat Canadian Leylah Fernandez 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a battle of former finalists.

Elsewhere, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk beat Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-2 and American Emma Navarro upset seventh-seeded Czech Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-5.

Back in the men’s draw, American 11th seed Frances Tiafoe was a comfortable 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victor over Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot, seeded 22.

Tiafoe’s win earned him a last 16 showdown with Russian seventh seed Daniil Medvedev.

Medvedev was a similarly unfussy winner over French 26th seed Arthur Rinderknech, easing to a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win in just under two hours.

Unseeded former world number three Stefanos Tsitsipas -- whose ranking has plummeted to 53 -- meanwhile toppled 18th seed Jiri Lehecka, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 to reach the US Open fourth round for the first time.

Tsitsipas’s fourth round opponent will be the winner of the late game between American eighth seed Ben Shelton and Canada’s Denis Shapovalov.

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