Aryna Sabalenka has probably encountered just about every possible distraction during her career on the tennis court.
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This may have been a new one.
The world's No. 1-ranked women's player briefly stopped her third-round match at the U.S. Open on Friday after apparently getting a strong whiff of marijuana coming from the crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Sabalenka was leading Kamilla Rakhimova 2-0 in the opening set when she turned toward the stands and then approached chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore.
"Someone is smoking weed," Sabalenka said. "Do you mind? Because it's so strong."
Well, then.
Asderaki-Moore acknowledged the complaint and appeared to make a smoking gesture toward someone off to her right before play resumed.
Recreational marijuana is legal in New York, but smoking it inside the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is another matter. The entire facility is smoke-free, with smoking and electronic cigarettes prohibited.
Fortunately for Sabalenka, the unusual interruption didn't seem to hurt her game.
The two-time defending U.S. Open champion defeated Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4, extending her winning streak at the tournament to 16 consecutive matches.
"Honestly, it was the first time I played the 11 a.m. session on Louis Armstrong, and it was a full stadium," Sabalenka said afterward. "I'm so grateful."
Sabalenka is attempting to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to capture three consecutive U.S. Open championships.
She'll continue that pursuit Sunday in the Round of 16. Presumably in slightly fresher air.
