World No. 1 tennis player Aryna Sabalenka paused her U.S. Open third-round match on Friday, September 4, 2026, to address the chair umpire regarding a strong smell of marijuana in the stadium. ^[1] Sabalenka told the chair umpire that someone was smoking weed on Louis Armstrong Stadium, the second-biggest court at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. ^[2] Sabalenka was leading Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova 2-0 in the opening set when she gestured toward her team before serving and then approached the chair umpire, Eva Asderaki-Moore. ^[3] During Naomi Osaka's first-round match against Anastasia Zakharova, a chair umpire admonished spectators in a hospitality suite for taking photos with custom lighting during play. ^[4] Tennis player Naomi Osaka stated that she and her opponent were bothered by people shouting and that the noise was clearly audible during the match. ^[5] The author argues that the U.S. Open should reflect the intensity and energy of New York City, where ambient noise like honking cars and subway shouting is part of the culture. ^[6] USTA CEO Craig Tiley described his vision for the U.S. Open as a 'tennis Disneyland' featuring in-stadium DJs, smoke machines, and specialty cocktails. ^[7]