In a surprising turn of events, Maria Sakkari, currently one of the top ten tennis players in the world, reported that she smelled marijuana during her US Open match. At the time, Sakkari was leading the first set 4-1 against lower-ranked opponent Rebeka Masarova. He pointed out to the referee about the strong smell, suspecting it was coming from an adjacent park.
Despite her early lead, Sakkari lost to Masarova, who is ranked 71st in the world, by a score of 6-4, 6-4. After the game, the Greek athlete clarified that the aroma of cannabis had no impact on his eventual loss. “The smell didn’t affect the game,” Sakkari stressed during the press conference. He noted that open courts often expose players to various odors, which are beyond anyone’s control.
Although she appeared disappointed at the press conference, Sakkari stated that she ignored the smell of marijuana once she noticed it, focusing on her game. He was clear that the smell was not a factor in his defeat, noting that he was only sharing one observation.
The incident was not unique to this year’s US Open; Australian player Nick Kyrgios mentioned experiencing a similar smell during last year’s tournament.
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