Maria Sakkari, the No. 8 seed in women’s singles at the 2023 U.S. Open, said she smelled marijuana during her first-round upset loss to Rebeka Masarova on Monday night.
“It was weed,” Sakkari said distinctly after the match, via ESPN.
Sakkari fell in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, but it was a match that she appeared to be in full control of from the beginning. She was leading 4-1 on Court 17 against Masarova, but Sakkari said she smelled it from the beginning.
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Maria Sakkari of Greece returns a shot against Rebeka Masarova of Spain during their Women’s Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Aug. 28, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
The Grecian said she mentioned smelling marijuana to the chair umpire during a changeover in the match.
“I think it’s from the park,” Sakkari mentioned.
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However, despite smelling marijuana during her match, Sakkari did not make any excuses regarding her play.
“You don’t really think about it, because all you care is just to win the match,” Sakkari said. “I smelled it, but that was it. Like, it wasn’t something that I paid attention to.”
She continued, “Sometimes you smell food, sometimes you smell cigarettes, sometimes you smell weed. I mean, it’s something we cannot control, because we’re in an open space. There’s a park behind. People can do whatever they want.”
Maria Sakkari of Greece celebrates a point against Rebeka Masarova of Spain during their Women’s Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Aug. 28, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
While it may not have bothered Sakkari, players like Nick Kyrgios have also complained in the past for medical reasons.
During a match last year, Kyrgios mentioned smelling marijuana, and since he is asthmatic, he did not believe inhaling it was good for him, especially on the court.
Sakkari went through her third straight first-round exit in a Grand Slam Tournament.
Maria Sakkari of Greece cools off between sets against Rebeka Masarova of Spain during their Women’s Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Aug. 28, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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Just last year, Sakkari was ranked as high as No. 3 in the world, making her the highest-ranked Greek player in history alongside men’s standout Stefanos Tsitsipas.