‘Hash Court’ and High Dramatic: How Weeds Become a New Disturbance to the U.S. Open Tennis 2025

tHis Open has been the toughest man in the four-game Grand Slam tournament in tennis, where the soundtrack screams trains, the roar of air traffic and a well-lubricated crowd, like the racket on the racket. Frances Tiafoe likes to call it “organized chaos,” a vibe full of life, saying he teased his best performance. For some, it’s not the stage at all, just bass heavy conversions, celebrity cameos from the revolving doors and the impeccable rattle of the nearby Metro No. 7.

However, in recent years, even the standardized bedline that gives tournament roles has had a distraction. Aside from the cocktail of honey and free-flowing Heineken, another evil has been in two weeks: the irritation and clear smell of marijuana. It spans Billy Jean-Kin National tennis Centered on enough frequency, players have begun to treat it as a bug, but rather the function of the event itself.

Casper Ruud, runner-up from Norway in the 2022 U.S. Open, was the latest complaint in last week’s mixed doubles tournament, while pairing with Igaświątek. “For me, this is the worst thing New York,” he said. The smell of marijuana. It’s everywhere, even where it’s played. But we have to accept it. I think it’s annoying to play on the court when someone smokes. It’s not fun for our players to get tired and have to inhale the smell of marijuana at the same time. There’s nothing we can do about it unless the law changes, but I doubt it will happen.”

The complaint was loud enough that the Danish media even called the court 17 Hash-Benin – “Hash Court” – A cheeky shorthand for a bullfighting performance court, the aroma of weeds almost becomes part of the atmosphere almost as loud as the crowd.

USTA has maintained a strict smoking-free policy since at least 2011, since New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s smoking ban has been extended to parks, beaches and pedestrian squares. However, since New York legalized recreational marijuana in 2021, Flushing Meadows has become a microcosm of the state’s ever-changing culture.

For reasons, safe enforcement of rules (if not positive). But, within a few steps outside, entering Corona Park adjacent to the southern end of the ground, anyone over 21 can legally upgrade: Under the 2021 law, adults can own up to 85 grams of marijuana and allow tobacco anywhere. On Sunday afternoon, as the first day of the game unfolded, smokers blocked police outside the south gate and shot in clear vision. This transformation has been accepted by city leaders. Former New York Police Chief, Mayor Eric Adams, even encourages New Yorkers to “enjoy themselves, light them, but most importantly – spend some money.” This loose stance, coupled with a sporadic licensing rollout, has allowed hundreds of unregulated stores to flourish, making marijuana feel inevitable in these five boroughs, and this particular Queens is no exception.

However, the smell of American weed predates legalization. Martina Hingis in 2014 Say it above In the doubles match at the Old Stand Court. Since then, a bunch of players – Nick Kyrgios, Maria Sakkari, Alexander Zverev – have all been frustrated. Sakkari’s first-round loss against Rebeka Masarova in 2023 became one of the most notorious plots. Midway through the game, she begged the chair referee for distracted attention and later told reporters: “Sometimes it smells of food, sometimes cigarettes, sometimes weeds. This is beyond our control because we are in an open space. There is a park. People can do whatever they want.”

Kyrgios, who was burned in the second round of the 2022 victory over Benjamin Bonzi, urging referees to remind the audience not to smoke and complain about the smell being particularly severe for his breathing. He later said, “That’s fucking marijuana. Obviously, I won’t complain about the smell of food.” “But it’s probably not something I want to breathe between two points.” Afterwards, he admitted that New York’s distractions – avid fans, a roaring train and now marijuana smoke – made it harder to keep the locked level.

Zverev is blunt. After the competition in court two years ago, the Germans compared the atmosphere to “Snoopy Dogg’s living room.” Since the death of the old stands, it’s a 2,800-seat stadium with no reserved seats, and it has become a fan favorite and has earned its reputation as the Smell Center. Since then, Zverev’s assessment has enjoyed its own life. Preview Thursday’s court assignment story this week quipped Holger Runes Sent to Hash-Benin In his second round, a halo of stickier than the top-grade Kine Bud was created.

Tournament officials objected to the suggestion that Flushing Meadows had become a playground for Stoner.

“Although we cannot control the reasons for the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, we continue to be alert as we treat this facility as a smoke-free environment,” a USTA spokesperson told the Guardian this week. “This includes the execution of our safety and visitor service teams, which make them aware that while it may be legal in New York, smoking is not allowed in Parks properties, including the Tennis Center. We continue to work with the NYPD and the Parks Department, which we believe will help reduce smoking near our Fenceline.”

After Sakkari’s comments made headlines in 2023, USTA reviewed the video and interviewed staff. A tournament spokesman said, “There is no evidence that fans ignited in Court No. 17. Instead, officials suggested that smoke could drift from Corona Park. The players themselves have admitted a lot. Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, said after the match that year: “I smell it too.” You smell a lot. You smell a lot. I think it’s just Court No. 17. The court is far away, almost in the park. I think it comes from the park. ”

From the organizer’s point of view, nothing has changed. It’s not like posters from past matches, these tournaments line up in the guts of Arthur Ashe Stadium Photography by Bob Marley and Pink Floyd Back Catalog. USTA is still the most buzzing of the four Grand Slams, but that’s not the case. But it’s not just the audience’s tendency to relax the attitude towards marijuana. A camera operator who asked for anonymous protection work said he now relies on edible marathon shifts, sometimes extending to 16 hours.

Security personnel stationed in external courts also pointed out this. One said, “We can’t do anything going on outside the police park.” “You smell it in every corner. Here, it’s just normal.” For all grip, the rules are clear: inside the gate, any kind of smoking, including weed pen, is prohibited. The USTA has no jurisdiction other than them.

There also seems to be no fans to a large extent. Steven Lewis waving the complaint as he waited in line for 17 games Monday afternoon. “You can smell it walking down the streets of Midtown, sometimes at eight o’clock on a weekday, even before legalization,” he said. “It’s just part of New York. I don’t know why publication will be different.”

Indeed, part of it is culture. The Open has always leaned towards its identity as it is the biggest and least button-free major in tennis. For players who are more accustomed to Wimbledon or the quiet lawn of Roland Garros, alcohol is completely banned in the stands to ensure a respectful atmosphere during the game – it feels like feeling overloaded. For locals, this is just a city in the microcosm.

Legal marijuana is now embedded in life in New York. This reality is uneasy against the original image of tennis still being projected, but in the Queens game, contradictions are inevitable. As Ruud lamented, there may be little help from even before the second round loss in the 17th House on Wednesday, besides tucking his nose and focusing on the next key point. Some players thrive in it, while others retreat. Either way, the disclosure is scrolling.