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Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka stops US Open match because of overwhelming marijuana stench

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Cite

Reigle, M. (2026, September 4). Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka stops US Open match because of overwhelming marijuana stench. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/tennis-star-aryna-sabalenka-stops-us-open-match-overwhelming-marijuana-stench

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Fox News · collected 2026-09-04 · by Matt Reigle

Quick Summary

Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka stopped her third-round US Open match on Friday in Queens because the strong smell of marijuana was overwhelming, and she asked the umpire if someone could be told to stop smoking it. The match took place near local dispensaries that are reportedly delivering cannabis to tennis fans, with one manager saying it makes tennis "a little more entertaining" when you're high. Sabalenka won the match despite the disruption, but this incident highlights the ongoing issue of marijuana smoke affecting athletes at the US Open. According to the article, players have had to deal with this problem for years since weed was legalized in New York City.
Written by AI on 2026-09-04, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one tennis player from Belarus, interrupted her match against Kamilla Rakhimova of Uzbekistan at the US Open on Friday due to a strong smell of cannabis in the air. During the second service game, Sabalenka told umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore, "Someone is smoking weed. Do you mind? Because it's so strong." Despite the distraction, Sabalenka went on to win the match 6-3, 6-4. She later stated that she was not objecting to anyone enjoying themselves, but asked for the smoking to be kept away from the court. The smell of cannabis has become a common issue at Flushing Meadows, where smoking is not permitted inside the grounds.

Written for “Sabalenka US Open Disruption” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Sabalenka US Open Disruption
Sports · 4 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads leans left and hedges 13% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
‘Someone is smoking weed’: Sabalenka interrupts US Open match over cannabis smell Same event
The Sydney Morning Herald
⚖️ Leans right further right than this Hedges 1 of 21 claims Outlet record 61/100
Sabalenka interrupts US Open match over cannabis smell Same event
ABC News (AU)
Hedges 1 of 33 claims Outlet record 67/100
Sabalenka interrupts US Open match against Rakhimova over cannabis smell Same event
Al Jazeera
Hedges 0 of 16 claims Outlet record 60/100
Sabalenka through to US Open quarterfinals Different event
Al Jazeera
Hedges 1 of 14 claims Outlet record 60/100
“Article A describes Sabalenka stopping a match due to a strong marijuana smell, while Article B reports on a different match between Sabalenka and Townsend, where Sabalenka wins 6-4, 6-3.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
15
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
13%
2 of 15 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
68/100
Fox News's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
4
Sports
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-04 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Fox News · 6569 article(s) · 13 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 13 correction(s)
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Who wrote this

Matt Reigle
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Topics

Belarusian New York City Queens The US Open Uzbekistan

Subjects

New York City GPE · 2× Sabalenka PERSON · 2× Aryna Sabalenka PERSON · 1× Belarusian NORP · 1× Eva Asderaki‑Moore. PERSON · 1× Kamilla Rakhimova PERSON · 1× Queens GPE · 1× The New York Post ORG · 1× Tre Davidson PERSON · 1× Uzbekistan GPE · 1×

Narrative

The US Open is developing a reputation for debauchery, and on Friday, things got so bad that tennis star Aryna Sabalenka stopped a match because, apparently, the stadium smelled more like weed than your neighbor’s van with the Dio album cover airbrushed on the side.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-04
🔮 "Someone is smoking weed," Sabalenka could be heard saying. "Do you mind?
2026-09-04 · Fox News
Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka stops US Open match because of overwhelming marijuana stench · assertive framing

Claims (15 extracted, 2 hedged)

The US Open is developing a reputation for debauchery, and on Friday, things got so bad that tennis star Aryna Sabalenka stopped a match because, apparently, the stadium smelled more like weed than your neighbor’s van with the Dio album cover airbrushed on the side. asserted
stadium → develop → side
The Belarusian was taking on Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova in a third-round match Friday in Queens. asserted
Belarusian → take → Queens
However, during the match, she was seen saying something to the crowd and then approached umpire Eva Asderaki‑Moore. asserted
she → see → Asderaki‑Moore
"Someone is smoking weed," Sabalenka could be heard saying. "Do you mind? uncertain
you → smoke → weed
Because it’s so strong." asserted
it → ’ → ?
Sabalenka went on to win the match — despite the threat of a contact high — but it brings the US Open's weed problem under the microscope again. asserted
it → go → microscope
This has been a running thing for a few years now, ever since weed was legalized in New York City. asserted
weed → run → City
Players have had to battle through the stench of bubonic chronic in the vicinity of some courts. asserted
Players → have → courts
However, this year, according to The New York Post, local dispensaries are even delivering some sticky icky to tennis fans. uncertain
dispensaries → accord → fans
"You get high, it makes [tennis] a little more entertaining," Tre Davidson, a manager at a nearby dispensary, Silk Road, told the outlet. asserted
Davidson → get → outlet
So, weed has the same effect on tennis that it does on Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and Cheech & Chong's entire body of work. asserted
it → have → work
The more you know... asserted
you → know → more
Having a good time is one thing, but when it starts impacting those who do not wish to take part in your puff-puff-passing — namely the athletes — then maybe it's time to put it out. asserted
it → have → it
Clear out the smoke so that athletes can suck down some of the crisp, clean New York City air during their match. asserted
athletes → clear → match
Meanwhile, fans can still get stoned out of their gourd to make tennis more interesting or to make them wonder what would happen if you crossed a pizza with a Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme. asserted
you → stone → Supreme
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