A major problem has arisen at the US Open in recent years, and several players have complained about it, but strict action is yet to be taken. Turns out that the stench of ca***bis becomes very noticeable at times during matches, and this has now become a headache for the players. Martina Hingis was one of the first to complain about it in 2014, but more than a decade later, the tournament still hasn’t taken any steps to solve the problem.

She was playing alongside Flavia Pennetta, and they were up against Australia’s Jarmila Gajdosova and Ajla Tomljanovic in a third-round women’s doubles clash. It was during this match that Hingis suddenly waved her hands in front of her face and complained to the chair umpire, saying, “Someone’s smoking some heavy s**t.”

Though no one is permitted to smoke at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the odor somehow manages to reach the players even if someone is smoking outdoors. The nearby Flushing Meadows Corona Park has been the epicentre of this. The pungent smell causes a distraction to the players, who aren’t able to concentrate well because of it.

The USTA has maintained a no-smoking policy since at least 2011. The step was taken after New York’s mayor, Mike Bloomberg, expanded the smoking ban to public parks, beaches, and pedestrian plazas. However, New York legalized recreational ca***bis in 2021, and the players have suffered because of this decision.

Casper Ruud complained about the odor in 2025 after teaming up with Iga Swiatek in the mixed doubles event. He described it as the “worst” feature of New York and remarked that the players simply have no choice but to accept the stench as it is.

“For me, this is the worst thing about New York,” he told reporters at the 2025 US Open. “The smell of cannabis. It’s everywhere, even here where the tournament is being played. But we have to accept it. I think it’s annoying to be on the court while someone smokes a joint.”

Most recently, Britain’s Katie Boulter also addressed the issue and stated that the odor is most noticeable in the smaller courts of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The smell isn’t that noticeable in venues like the Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadium.

“We smell it a lot on the practice courts. I’m not a fan of it,” she said during the pre-tournament press conference at the 2026 US Open. “I know many players have complained about certain courts. I had played on one of them, and I smelled it during my match. It’s not something I want to smell in the middle of my match. I try to stay focused, and obviously it takes you out of the match for a moment, and it’s not something you want. We don’t need distractions.” 

With so many players calling out the authorities over the matter, the USTA came up with a statement, ensuring them that they are doing their best to resolve the issue.

The USTA has released an official statement on the matter

The organization has stated that they are working with the local police and the parks department to reduce smoking on the boundary of the site.

“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 statement read.

Though no player complained about the pungent odor during the mixed doubles event at the US Open, it isn’t a guarantee that the same will happen during the main draw as well.

The authorities are to blame for the smell still being an issue today, as players have been complaining about it for years. It remains to be seen if any strict steps will finally be taken against smoking in the nearby areas of the site.