Players have long complained about odors at the US Open, and this year’s tournament was no exception. Maria Sakkari, Marketa Vondrousova and Oleksandr Zverev spoke at a press conference about the smell that stood out this year at Flushing Meadows.

Oleksandr ZverevPhoto: Christof STACHE / AFP / Profimedia

The smell of marijuana at the 2023 US Open: “It’s everywhere”

US Open finalist in 2020 Oleksandr Zverev said that court 17, located on the edge of the complex in New York, smells very strongly of marijuana.

“It’s everywhere, literally everywhere. Court 17 definitely smells like Snoop Dogg’s living room. God, the whole field smells like marijuana” – Oleksandr Zverev.

Oleksandr Zverev (12th seed) will play on court 17 in the second round against German Daniel Altmaier (53 ATP) on Thursday.

Maria Sakkari has already been eliminated from the inaugural round of the US Open 2023, and the athlete from Greece explained how unpleasant the smell is.

“The smell, oh my God, I think it’s coming out of the park. You don’t really think about it because you only care about winning the match. I did not pay attention to it. Sometimes it smells like food, sometimes it smells like cigarettes, and sometimes it smells like marijuana. It’s not something we can control because we’re playing in an open space. Behind the complex is a broken park. People can do whatever they want” – Maria Sakkari.

AND Market Vondrousova, the Wimbledon champion, said of the smell: “Yes, I smelled it today on court 17, I smelled it when we were warming up for the match. Not so much during the game, but I told the coach that it smells.”

Last year, during a second-round match, Nick Kyrgios complained to the referee about the disturbing smell of “marijuana” at the Louis Armstrong Arena, which allegedly caused him some respiratory discomfort.

Marijuana consumption has been legalized in New York since 2021, but smoking of any kind is prohibited in the Flashing Meadows complex.

US Open 2023 will be held from August 28 to September 10, and the most important matches from Flushing Meadows will be on HotNews.ro every day. Titled champions – Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Svyatek.

>> Patricia Sieg, Arthur Ashe Gala – When She Plays Second Round US Open 2023

>> Sorana Kirstea, a matchup with one of the big favorites in the third round of the US Open

>> VIDEO US Open 2023 – last year’s finalist was eliminated by world number 67 in the second round

>> VIDEO Two Grand Slam winners eliminated in second round of US Open 2023