New Delhi, August 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
With the US Open 2026 main draw set to begin on Sunday, several players have raised concerns over the smell of cannabis drifting into some courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
Britain’s No. 1 Katie Boulter, ranked World No. 60, said she had noticed the smell frequently during practice sessions, particularly on courts located near Corona Park. Cannabis is legal for adults aged 21 and over in New York.
“I’m not a huge fan of it,” Boulter said, adding that several players had complained about the issue on particular courts.
Boulter, who will begin her campaign against American wildcard Carol Young Suh Lee, said encountering the smell during a match could affect a player’s concentration.
“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,” she said.
Fellow British players Fran Jones and Harriet Dart also spoke about the issue.
Jones recalled encountering the smell during her first-round match last year while playing at a venue close to the park. She said she had jokingly asked whether it was normal and received an affirmative response.
“This year I’ll be like ‘no, lock in, lock in!'” Jones said. She is scheduled to face Poland’s Magda Linette in her opening match.
Dart, who secured her place in the main draw after defeating compatriot Heather Watson, took a more matter-of-fact view.
“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,” she said.
The United States Tennis Association, which organises the US Open, said it remained vigilant but acknowledged that it could not control activities outside the tournament grounds.
“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,” the USTA said in a statement.
Concerns over cannabis odour are not new at the tournament. World No. 20 Casper Ruud described the smell as the “worst thing” about New York last year. In 2022, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios said a spectator smoking courtside had triggered his asthma, while Greece’s Maria Sakkari complained about smelling cannabis during her 2023 US Open match.
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