Overview
- British No. 1 Katie Boulter said in late August that the cannabis smell distracted her during practice and matches, joining other players who raised the issue this year.
- The drifting odor is strongest on courts closest to Corona Park, with Court 17 repeatedly singled out and nicknamed the tournament’s 'hash court.'
- The USTA said smoking is banned inside the tennis center but that it cannot stop legal activity in the surrounding park and that it is working with the NYPD and New York Parks Department.
- Players say the smell can break focus and in past seasons has aggravated breathing problems for competitors, creating on-court interruptions and safety concerns.
- The issue has recurred for years because the USTA grounds sit inside the much larger Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and there have been no new policy changes announced for this tournament.