Marijuana Scent Permeates US Open Courts

This distinct cannabis scent, understood to drift onto the courts directly from nearby Corona Park, has reportedly bothered numerous players in previous years.

Katie Boulter confirmed the cannabis scent actively disrupted her US Open game, noting its potent presence even on the practice courts.

Boulter further stated she detected the scent during her match, explaining, "I’m trying to focus and then obviously, it takes you out of the moment and you really don’t want to... You don’t need distractions. So yeah, I wasn’t a huge fan of it."

Nick Kyrgios previously claimed a fan's smoking courtside triggered his asthma, while Maria Sakkari maintained the smell offered no excuse for her defeat.

Fran Jones recalled making a joke about the smell last year during her first round, asking if it was normal because she was on the stadium court next to the park.

Jones stated, "Last year I made a joke about that, in my first round, and I said to the guy, ‘is this normal?’. Because I was on the stadium, and it’s next to the park. He’s like, ‘yeah”. and I was like, ‘well, no wonder I’m playing pretty well’. This year I’ll be like ‘no, lock in, lock in!"

Harriet Dart offered a broader perspective on the situation, stating, "I mean it’s New York. It’s New York. I feel like everywhere you walk around, it’s everywhere, no? It is what it is. Same for everyone."

The United States Tennis Association claims they cannot control what transpires off the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, yet they continue to be vigilant in managing the situation.