Tennis Players At US Open Are Complaining About Smelling Weed

Source: Sarah Stier / Getty

Weed laws may be changing at a rapid pace within the United States, but the smell is still an annoyance to some. It has always been a common occurrence at music festivals and get-togethers, but now the stench has permeated into one of the year’s biggest sports events. Tennis players have been sniffing the scent for the past few days at the US Open, and one in particular mentioned it to the media. Greek tennis player Maria Sakkari was unaware of New York’s unofficial scent and found it overwhelming enough to tell the chair umpire.

She was playing on Court 17, which backs Corona Park, a public park where people are free to partake in the devil’s lettuce. “It was weed,” she said after the match. “The smell, oh my gosh. We can’t control it; it’s a back park, and people can do whatever they want.” Sakkari was a No. 8 seed and saw an early exit from the US Open after losing her opening matches 6-4, 6-4. She, however, didn’t blame the marijuana for her performance.

“I was not affected by this smell in any way. It was just a comment; it has nothing to do with the match… It’s irrelevant. You don’t think about it; all you care about is winning the match. I didn’t pay much attention,” she added.

German tennis player Alexander Zverev backed her story and reminded him of perhaps the most famous weed connoisseur in the world: Snoop Dogg. “Court 17 definitely smells like Snoop Dogg’s living room,” Alexander Zverev told the Associated Press Tuesday. “Oh my God, it’s everywhere. The whole court smells like weed.” This isn’t the first time Court 17’s lack of fresh air has been called into question. During a match last year, Nick Kyrgios had a similar complaint, adding that he was worried about his health. “When I’m running side to side, I’m struggling to breathe,” he said in 2022 according to USA Today. “Probably not something I want to be breathing in in between points.” See how social media’s reacting below.