“Smells like Snoop Dogg’s living room,” Alexander Zverev joins Maria Sakkari in complaints over the excess smell of cannabis on Court 17 at the US Open

Alexander Zverev adds to complains about the smell of weed on court 17.

“Smells like Snoop Dogg’s living room,” Alexander Zverev joins Maria Sakkari in complaints over the excess smell of cannabis on Court 17 at the US Open

Alexander Zverev and Snoop Dogg (Credits: Fox News and NY Post)

2020 US Open finalist Alexander Zverev had a comfortable outing in the first round of US Open 2023. The 12th seeded German def. Aleksandar Vukic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. The German showed glimpses of his best form in a regulation win at court 17. Zverev was firing on all cylinders on his serve, hitting 13 aces and winning 86% of the point on his first serve.

While the German didn’t struggle with his game, he was bothered by some smell. Zverev is the third player in 2 days to complain that Court 17 at the US Open “smells like weed”. Talking about the smell in a post-match press conference, Zverev remarked, “Court 17 definitely smells like Snoop Dogg’s living room. Oh my God, it’s everywhere. The whole court smells like weed.”

YouTube video

Earlier, the 8th seeded Greek Maria Sakarri complained about a similar smell during her first-round match. “The smell, oh my gosh. I think it’s from the park,” she said, alluding to Corona Park, which sits adjacent to the court. Speaking after the loss in the post-match press conference, Sakarri said, “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.”

FS Video

Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, who easily won her match on Court 17 on Tuesday, told a similar story: “I smelled it actually today also. You smell it a lot. I think it’s just Court 17. That court is so far away, it’s almost in the park. I think it’s coming from the park,” she said.

Flushing Meadows security staffer Ricardo Rojas, working the gate outside Court 17 on Monday, said he took a break in the park around the time of Sakkari’s match, and “there was definitely a pot smell going on.”

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Alexander Zverev to face Daniel Altmaier in the second round of the US Open

arthur ashe
Arthur Ashe Stadium (Credits: USTA)

Zverev, currently ranked No. 12 in the ATP Tour rankings, appears to be back to the form that took him to the No. 2 ranking and the semifinals of Roland Garros in June of 2022, and now totally healed from a gruesome right ankle ligament tear. After a phenomenal performance in the first round, Zverev is set to face his German counterpart Daniel Altmaier in the second round.

Zverev came into the US Open on the back of a semifinal appearance in Cincinnati, losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. Zverev will face Altmaier for only the second time. The 12th seed won the only encounter between the two last year.

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