New York: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka's US Open campaign was briefly interrupted by an unusual distraction on Friday when she complained to the chair umpire about the alleged smell of marijuana during her third-round match against Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova.

The incident occurred early in the opening set at Louis Armstrong Stadium, with Sabalenka preparing to serve in the third game of the match.

After taking the first two points of the game, the defending champion appeared disturbed by an odour coming from the stands. She initially spoke with members of her team before walking towards chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore to raise the issue.

Sabalenka told the umpire that the smell was particularly strong.

"Someone is smoking weed. Would you mind to ... ‌because it's so strong," Sabalenka was heard saying.

The unusual interruption raised questions given that the match was being played at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the second-largest venue at Flushing Meadows, where the enclosed nature of the stands would make an outside source of the smell less likely.

Recreational cannabis use is legal for adults aged 21 and above in New York.

Sabalenka cruises into next round

The brief disruption did little to affect Sabalenka's performance.

The Belarusian comfortably defeated Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4 in a match lasting one hour and 29 minutes, continuing her bid for a third consecutive US Open title.

Sabalenka lifted the trophy at Flushing Meadows in both 2024 and 2025. She is also a two-time Australian Open champion, having won the Melbourne Grand Slam in 2023 and 2024.

The top seed remains unbeaten in sets at this year's US Open. She had also dispatched her first two opponents in straight sets before overcoming Rakhimova without dropping one.

With another convincing victory under her belt, Sabalenka remains firmly in the hunt for a historic third straight US Open crown.