Of all the things that might interrupt a US Open match, a spectator smoking m***juana in the stands would definitely rank among the more unlikely culprits.

Sabalenka won 15 of 16 points on first serve in the first set and only dropped off a little in the second, finishing 21 for 28 in the match.

The same is true for top tennis star Aryna Sabalenka. The defending US Open champion faces Kamilla Rakhimova in the third round, and after making a strong start to her title defense, Sabalenka will enter the contest with plenty of confidence. The match is scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM EDT at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka smoothly enters the US Open's round of 16 after defeating Kamilla Rakhimova. | Sports News

Just two days ago, Aryna Sabalenka snapped at a reporter for questioning whether her off-court schedule was getting in the way of tennis, even telling him to think before asking such questions.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula won their respective third-round matches on Friday to advance at the US Open.

Having returned to the tour after a four-month hiatus due to a wrist injury, Carlos Alcaraz has revealed how he intends to manage the demanding tour calendar moving forward. The Spaniard’s fellow defending champion at the 2026 US Open,

The US Open is beginning to get even more exciting with the latest update on Serena and Venus Williams' plans (contains affiliate links)