New York: (RightNow) At the US Open Tennis Tournament, Belarusian top player Aryna Sabalenka had to pause her match due to the smell of cannabis. Sabalenka complained to the umpire about the strong odor near the court.

This incident occurred during her match against Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova. Sabalenka made the complaint while leading 3-0, stating that the intense smell made it difficult to concentrate on the game.

After the match, Sabalenka humorously told reporters that she had no objection to people enjoying themselves, but requested they refrain from doing so near the court. She mentioned that the wind was carrying the smell into the playing area.

In New York, cannabis use is legal, but it is prohibited in the stadium. The odor from Flushing Meadows Park reaches the stadium. American player Jessica Pegula also expressed concerns about this issue.

It is noteworthy that players have previously made similar complaints at the US Open. While cannabis is legal in New York, its use is banned within the stadium.