US Open Day Six: Alcaraz Advances, Sabalenka Disrupted by Marijuana Smoke
Alcaraz Strengthens Title Case
Carlos Alcaraz continued his impressive run at Flushing Meadows, defeating Tommy Paul to secure a spot in the round of 16 and underlining his credentials in what appears to be a wide-open draw. The Spanish champion's performances have demonstrated marked improvement, signalling his intent to capture another major title. Meanwhile, American Frances Tiafoe advanced alongside fellow contenders Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Pegula, who both emerged from testing matches to progress through the tournament.
Sabalenka's Court Disruption
Sabalenka's match was disrupted when the competitor halted play due to a strong marijuana smell emanating from the crowd, forcing officials to intervene. Despite the unusual circumstances, she managed to advance, though the incident highlighted ongoing challenges with match conditions at the venue.
Notable Developments
The tournament saw several significant storylines emerge, including Nick Kyrgios receiving a one-month ban following a failed drug test, while Gael Monfils departed the competition in the second round, marking his farewell to the Grand Slam stage. Meanwhile, the perennial issue of match scheduling continued to perplex tournament organisers and fans alike.
Today's tennis headlines
- Live updates from Serena and Venus Williams' doubles match at the US Open — espn.com
- Alcaraz plans to take more in-season breaks — espn.com
- Marijuana smell irks Sabalenka in US Open match — espn.com
- Alcaraz, Paul set up round-of-16 clash at US Open — espn.com
- Sabalenka, Pegula tested but advance at US Open — espn.com
- Monfils says his Slam adieu with 2nd-round loss — espn.com
- Kyrgios given one-month ban for failed drug test — espn.com
- 🕒 The never-ending puzzle of match scheduling — espn.com
- Improving Alcaraz underlines title credentials in wide-open draw — feeds.bbci.co.uk
- US Open tennis: Alcaraz, Sabalenka, Pegula and Medvedev advance on day six – as it happened — theguardian.com
- 'It's so strong' - Sabalenka halts play over cannabis smell — feeds.bbci.co.uk
- ‘Someone is smoking weed’: Sabalenka halts US Open match due to cannabis smell — theguardian.com