'It's so strong' - Sabalenka halts play over cannabis smell
Source: BBC Sport ↗ (cross-verified by 2 outlets — full list below)
Aryna Sabalenka, the top‑seed and two‑time defending champion, paused her second‑round match at the US Open after a strong smell of cannabis drifted onto the court while she led Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova 3‑0 in the first set. Sabalenka alerted umpire Eva Asderaki‑Moore, who radioed a nearby official and made a smoking gesture before play resumed. The Belarusian went on to win the match 6‑3, 6‑4, securing her 16th consecutive victory at Flushing Meadows and moving into the fourth round where she will meet American crowd‑favorite Taylor Townsend.
The incident highlights a recurring issue at the tournament: the scent of cannabis, legal for adults in New York, often wafts from nearby Corona Park into the stadium despite a ban on smoking at the venue. Sabalenka, who was unsure whether the odor originated from spectators or the wind, urged fans to be more mindful, noting the difficulty of competing while distracted by the smell. She joins a list of players who have complained this year, including Britain’s Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones, and echoes past grievances from Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev about similar distractions.
Sabalenka’s win keeps her on a quest for a fifth Grand Slam title and a possible third consecutive US Open crown, a feat not achieved since Serena Williams in 2012‑14. The broader tournament narrative saw several other notable results: Karolina Muchova, the highest‑seeded woman to fall so far, was upset by Emma Navarro; Jessica Pegula rallied past Leylah Fernandez to stay alive for her first major; and Ukrainian seed Marta Kostyuk advanced to the last‑16. The cannabis‑smell controversy, coupled with these on‑court developments, underscores the blend of off‑court distractions and high‑stakes competition shaping this year’s US Open.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economymedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶The ripples can spread across borders, nudging growth forecasts here and there.
- ▶Distant markets sometimes move on rumour before the facts even settle.
🏙️Local Economymedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Local traders often cheer as fans fill the streets.
- ▶The buzz around big fixtures spreads to the local economy.
🏦Rates & Bankslow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Banks tend to wait and see before nudging the rates they offer.
- ▶Borrowing costs may hold steady for now, but they can turn on fresh news.
❤️Healthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Sport at its best gives people something joyful to talk about together.
- ▶Sporting drama has a way of bonding total strangers, at least for 90 minutes.
💷Wealthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶A quiet review of where your savings sit rarely does any harm.
- ▶Checking in on your finances now and then is good practice regardless of headlines.
🏠Housinglow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Surveyors and valuers tend to factor in wider trends gradually, not overnight.
- ▶First-time buyers watching the market closely might see little change in the short term.
🌍 Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.