Overview
- On Sept. 4, 2026, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka briefly stopped her third-round match at Louis Armstrong Stadium to tell the chair umpire that the smell of marijuana was “so strong.”
- The chair umpire radioed for help and U.S. Open staff moved into the stands to investigate, and tournament officials later said no fans were found smoking or ejected.
- The U.S. Tennis Association reiterated that the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is smoke-free and that it works with the NYPD and the Parks Department to enforce the rule, but it cannot police lawful use on adjacent Flushing Meadows–Corona Park.
- Players have raised similar complaints for years about smoke drifting onto outer courts, especially Court 17, while some commentators and former players say the smell is an overblown issue.
- The episode underscores an operational challenge for organizers because the USTA rents land inside a public park where New York allows adult recreational cannabis use, so the tournament faces limits to physical or legal fixes and may need new enforcement or mitigation measures going forward.