US Open 2023 has seen its fair share of surprising occurrences, but a lingering smell of marijuana on the court is certainly a unique incident. Alexander Zverev was playing on court 17 in the first round and won his match 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 against Aleksandar Vukic. The German said in his post match interview that the court 17 smells like Snoop Dogg’s living room.
Only a few days after Maria Sakkari had expressed her concerns about encountering the distinct smell during her match, Alexander Zverev has added his experience, intensifying the discussion over this unusual occurrence. This has even led the USTA to carry out an investigation.
Zverev smells Marijuana on Court 17 at US Open
Alexander Zverev sealed a spot in the round two of the US Open with a comfortable 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win on court 17. The German’s post match interview was overshadowed by his admission of smelling marijuana on court. This comes after Maria Sakkari had earlier admitted to smell weed when she played her first round match on court 17 as well.
Court 17 at the US Open is besides Corona Park and in New York, adults 21 and older are permitted to possess up to three ounces of cannabis and up to 24 grams of concentrated cannabis for personal use and they may smoke or vape cannabis anywhere smoking tobacco is permitted. Zverev described the court as Snoop Dogg’s living room.
“Court 17 definitely smells like Snoop Dogg’s living room, Oh my God, it’s everywhere. The whole court smells like weed.”
This revelation of Zverev comes after Maria Sakkari admitted to smell weed during her first round match. Zverev was surprised by the smell and admitted that it can be distracting for the players.
Sakkari’s encounter and USTA investigation
Before Zverev’s revelation, Maria Sakkari had been the first to bring attention to the marijuana scent during her US Open match. The Greek tennis star’s social media post expressed her astonishment and mild concern at the occurrence, sparking conversations about the on-court environment.
Following Sakkari’s observation, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) launched an investigation to determine the origin of the scent and ensure that players’ conditions were not compromised. The investigation’s findings of the USTA have not made public yet.
As the US Open continues, the occurrences of marijuana scent on the court remain a talking point. Both Zverev and Sakkari’s revelations underline the need for athletes to adapt to unforeseen situations, even in the controlled setting of a tennis match. With the USTA’s investigation ongoing, the tennis world awaits further insight into the source of the scent and the mystery of Court 17.
