Aryna Sabalenka calls for pause in US Open match over marijuana smell

NEW YORK — Someone felt the need to pass the dutchie during Aryna Sabalenka's third-round match at the US Open.

The world's No. 1 player and the tournament's top seed had to stop her match against Kamilla Rakhimova because of the overwhelming smell of marijuana at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Sabalenka went to complain to the chair umpire, Eva Asderaki-Moore, while she was leading 2-0 in the first set.

“Someone is smoking weed,” Sabalenka told Eva Asderaki-Moore. “Would you mind … because it’s so strong.”

Asderaki-Moore then got on the radio to speak to an official, turned around and then made a smoking gesture with her hands.

Play resumed shortly after, and Sabalenka went on to take the match 6-3, 6-4, winning her 16th consecutive match at the US Open.

"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," Sabalenka said after the match. "It's a bit tricky to handle that smell while you're trying to compete at your best."

Sabalenka was then asked two more times about marijuana and was clearly was done with the line of questioning.

"It…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/sports/