Aryna Sabalenka briefly halted her US Open match against Kamilla Rakhimova because of a strong smell of cannabis before cruising into the fourth round in New York.
Top seed Sabalenka raised the issue after going 3-0 up in the first set against Uzbekistan’s Rakhimova, telling umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore that “someone is smoking weed”.
The Belarusian asked the umpire to intervene “because it’s so strong”.
Asderaki-Moore spoke to an official on her radio and made a smoking gesture to someone behind her, before play continued.
Two-time defending champion Sabalenka went on to secure a confident 6-3 6-4 victory on Louis Armstrong Stadium as she chases a fifth Grand Slam singles title.
Sabalenka said afterwards she was not sure where the smell of cannabis was coming from but asked fans to be more mindful.
Smoking is not permitted on site at Flushing Meadows but the smell of cannabis sometimes wafts on to court from the nearby Corona Park.
It is legal to smoke it in New York for adults aged 21 and over.
“It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best,” Sabalenka said.
“I don’t know if it was coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium.
“I just hope they’re going to be a bit more aware of that stuff.”
Sabalenka is not the first player at this year’s US Open to complain about the smell of cannabis at Flushing Meadows.
Britain’s Katie Boulter previously said it was distracting, while Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones also noticed the smell.
In past years players including Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev have also complained.
Victory marked Sabalenka’s 16th straight win at Flushing Meadows as she bids to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2012-2014 to complete a hat-trick of US Open singles titles.
The 28-year-old showcased her trademark power from the start against Rakhimova, dropping just four points on serve in a confident opening set.
Although Rakhimova fought well in the second set, Sabalenka secured the crucial break to go 5-4 up before safely serving out victory.
Sabalenka served 10 aces to Rakhimova’s two and did not face a single break point.
She will face either American Taylor Townsend or Russian 15th seed Diana Shnaider – who beat her in the French Open quarter-finals in June – next.
American third seed Jessica Pegula kept her bid for a first Grand Slam title alive by coming from a set down to beat Leylah Fernandez.
Pegula, who lost the final at Flushing Meadows two years ago to Sabalenka, came through 1-6 6-4 6-3 against the Canadian 31st seed.
Fernandez showed glimpses of the form that took her to the 2021 US Open final, where she lost to Emma Raducanu, as she raced through the first set in under 30 minutes.
But Pegula played with more patience to secure the decisive break at the end of the second set – albeit with some help from a net cord.
She saved two break points at the start of the deciding set, before breaking in the next game and going on to see out victory with a backhand volley.
“I wasn’t moving my feet up to the ball, and I was a little lazy to start off,” Pegula, 32, said.
“I was going to have to dig deep. I’m glad I was able to find somewhere there in the second set to turn it around.”
Pegula will play Romanian 16th seed Sorana Cirstea in the fourth round after she beat Italian 19th seed Jasmine Paolini 6-3 6-3.
