Sabalenka encounters cannabis smell at US Open: 'I don't want to get high while playing'

Last night, at Flushing Meadows, something unusual happened to Aryna Sabalenka — the two-time defending champion of the tournament. Not a broken racket, not an injury, but what she herself called a "strange grass smell" drifting across the court. I rewatched the interview clip three times. The way Sabalenka recounted that story — with a gentle smile, almost playful tone — reminded me of an old lesson from 2026, when I was still a young journalist sitting in the corner of a press room. People often say greatness isn't about the moment of victory, but how they handle the unpredictable. Sabalenka won the first set 6-3, the second 6-4, without dropping a set. But what I was really interested in wasn't the score — it was the moment she walked up to the chair umpire and said: "There's a strange smell here." The match context wasn't overly complicated. Sabalenka's opponent was Kamilla Rakhimova from Uzbekistan — a player ranked outside the top seeds. Theoretically, this wasn't a memorable match in terms of technical play. But football and tennis both taught me something: sometimes, the unexpected incidents reveal the true nature of an athlete. After the match, in the press room, Sabalenka didn't hide it. "I went to the umpire and said, 'Hey, there's grass smell here, I don't want to get high while playing,'" she recounted calmly. That line made the press room laugh — a relieving laugh, not mockery. I noticed Sabalenka wasn't annoyed or angry at all. She didn't ask for the match to be stopped, didn't protest loudly, didn't blame anyone. She simply reported it — then continued playing. This is the response of a player who has been through many pressures, understanding that not everything in life can be controlled. The cannabis smell in New York wasn't illegal — the state legalized recreational cannabis in 2026. Legally speaking, no rules were broken. But the issue lies elsewhere: a professional athlete needs absolute concentration, and any distraction — whether smell, noise, or light — can affect performance. However, the notable thing is how skillfully Sabalenka handled the situation. She didn't create drama, didn't fuel the fire on social media. Instead, she turned a potential incident into a moment of connection with the media and fans. In sports, we often talk about "mental toughness." But in reality, that concept isn't just about enduring pressure during crucial moments. It's also how an athlete responds when everything goes wrong — when the wind blows against you, when the court is dirty, when the opponent plays below form, or when a strange smell drifts by while you're serving. Sabalenka isn't the only one who faced unusual incidents at a Grand Slam. I recall Novak Djokovic's match at Roland Garros last year, when a fan continuously shouted during key moments. Like Sabalenka, Djokovic didn't react aggressively — he continued playing and won. Both understood a simple principle: complaining doesn't help win matches. But there's a contrarian angle I want to raise here. Was Sabalenka's gentle response truly a sign of resilience, or just a media strategy? In an era where every athlete's word is analyzed and amplified, staying calm and using humor to defuse tension might be the best way to avoid being "canceled" on social media. I'm not saying Sabalenka was pretending. I'm just pointing out that in modern sports, the line between genuine emotion and strategic response has become blurrier than ever. And perhaps that's not a bad thing — because communication skills are also part of the job. Sabalenka's next match could be against Taylor Townsend — a player nicknamed the tournament's "home favourite." If she continues winning, her title defense journey continues. But regardless of the result, I believe the lesson from last night's incident will stay with her throughout the rest of the tournament: sometimes, the only thing you can control is how you react to the uncontrollable. Flushing Meadows will still have wind, still have strange smells drifting by. And Sabalenka — with that smile — will continue serving, continuing hitting, continuing winning. Because in the end, that's what fans want to see: not perfection, but resilience amid imperfection.