Players Slam Cannabis Smell at US Open

Wimbledon has Centre Court, the Australian Open has the Bar Court – and the US Open has what some now call the "Hash Court." Unlike the tranquil lawns of SW19, Flushing Meadows sits under the flight path of New York's busy airports. The noise, concrete, and eclectic crowds are part of the spectacle, but so too is a persistent cannabis smell that has become almost synonymous with tennis on the outer courts.

Since recreational marijuana was legalized in New York in 2021, the cannabis smell has woven itself into daily city life. Like the subway steam rising from manholes, it's part of the sensory backdrop. Unfortunately for some of the world's top tennis players, the cannabis smell has also drifted into their workplace – the courts of the US Open.

Players scheduled on outer courts closest to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park report being distracted by the strong cannabis smell. Casper Ruud, during a mixed doubles match, called it the "worst thing about New York." He described trying to play while inhaling the cannabis smell, saying it was no fun when already tired from competition.

The issue gained more attention in 2023 when Alexander Zverev said Court 17 "smells like Snoop Dogg's living room." Staff working at both Grandstand and Court 17 told reporters the cannabis smell was particularly noticeable over the Labor Day weekend. Novak Djokovic even commented to Serbian media that "you can really smell it everywhere," explaining that while some are unfazed, he personally isn't a fan of the cannabis smell either.

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