It has become a stench at the US Open: a pungent odor of marijuana wafting over an outdoor court, clouding the concentration of one of the best players in the world and leaving the impression that there was nowhere to escape the odor. city ??official.
While the exact source of the odor remained a mystery Tuesday, one thing was clear: Court 17, where world number eight-ranked Maria Sakkari complained of an overpowering odor of marijuana during her first-round loss, was It has become famous among female players in recent years for its distinctive and unmistakable scent.
“Court 17 definitely smells like Snoop Dogg’s living room,” said Alexander Zverev, the tournament’s 12th seed who won his opener on court Tuesday. “My God, he is everywhere. The whole court smells of grass.”
Stung by stories in the wake of Sakkari’s match on Monday that made the US Open stands appear to be the sporting equivalent of a Phish concert, the United States Tennis Association has conducted its own investigation, to rule out the source of the smell.
Spokesman Chris Widmaier said the USTA questioned officials and reviewed video of the midday game and found “no evidence” that anyone was smoking marijuana in the Court 17 stands, leading to speculation it may have come from from Corona Park, just outside the stadium gates.
Sakkari herself suggested just that when she complained to the chair umpire when she was up 4-1 in the first set: “The smell, oh my God. I think it’s from the park.”
After her 6-4, 6-4 loss to Rebeka Masarova, Sakkari told reporters: “Sometimes you smell food, sometimes you smell cigarettes, sometimes you smell weed. I mean, it’s something we can’t control, because we’re in open space. There is a park behind. People can do whatever they want.”
It is legal in New York for adults 21 years and older to possess up to three ounces of cannabis and up to 24 grams of concentrated cannabis for personal use, and may smoke or vape cannabis anywhere tobacco smoking is permitted.
Ricardo Rojas, a member of the Flushing Meadows security staff, who was working the gate outside Track 17 on Monday, said he took a break in the park around the time of Sakkari’s game and that “there was definitely a smell of marijuana.” “.
Rojas said the smells of cannabis have become an unavoidable fact of New York life. “As you turn every corner you smell it. It’s part of our world now. You have to get used to it.” So what would you say to Sakkari or any other player who complains during a world-class competition? “Try it. … It might help you relax.”
