The 2026 US Open is only just kicking off, but it is already getting slammed with complaints about that recurring marijuana odor problem around New York City’s biggest tennis tournament. It’s a familiar theme, too, with top players like Novak Djokovic having spoken out about this issue in the past. Now, several British tennis stars are chiming in, confirming the problem is very much still ongoing in Flushing.
That Familiar Stench Returns
Katie Boulter, the UK’s number one ranked women’s player, is one of the voices speaking up, and she is absolutely not a fan. “Yeah, I have experienced it,” Boulter recently said. “You go down to the practice courts and down in the park courts, you do smell it a lot. I’m not a huge fan of it. I know a lot of players have complained on some of the specific courts.” The smell seems to be coming from Corona Park, which surrounds the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Locals and visitors apparently smoke marijuana on those grounds, and since weed is legal in New York, it makes for a tough situation for tournament organizers. With so many wide-open courts, spectators can walk right from venue to venue, and the aroma travels.
What Can Anyone Do?
It is a tough spot for the USTA, who pretty much admit their hands are tied on this one. The smell is likely wafting in from those surrounding areas, which has put the US Open in the crosshairs for a few years now. The USTA issued a statement, saying, “While we can’t control what takes place off the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, we continue to be vigilant as we maintain this.” So, they are being “vigilant,” but it does not sound like they have a real solution for the distraction this smell is causing for some of the players.
The men’s and women’s singles tournaments just kicked off on August 30 and will run all the way through September 13, when we will crown our final major champions of the season. Let’s hope the only thing hanging in the air by then is the excitement of championship tennis, not something else.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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