The U.S. Open has always had a reputation for being one of the liveliest stops on the tennis calendar, but this year's tournament is drawing fire for crossing the line from spirited to downright rude.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, became the latest voice to call out the crowd after her third-round match over the weekend. The Belarusian star said the pervasive smell of marijuana drifting onto the courts made it tough to focus.
“I was like, guys, you can do whatever,” Sabalenka said. “You can smoke whatever. You can relax as much as you can, but please do not do it around the tennis courts. It’s a bit tricky to handle that smell while you’re trying to compete at your best.”
She didn’t mince words: “Come on, guys. I think there is nothing else to say about weed. I’m just asking people not to smoke it next to the tennis court.”
Sabalenka isn't alone in her frustration. Social media is buzzing with fans calling out what they see as a growing lack of decorum at Flushing Meadows. Complaints range from booing and shouting during points to influencers treating the stands like their personal content studio.
“The bad behavior at the US Open is getting embarrassing. Booing, heckling, shouting during points, marijuana, influencers, telling a player to go back home to Russia, disrespecting players—it’s not ‘passion,’ it’s a lack of class. If you can’t respect the players or the game, you don’t belong in the stands,” one fan wrote on X.
Another added: “They’re so obviously not there for the tennis. And US sports fans have a pretty poor recent history. Not sure how you fix it.”
Critics argue that the atmosphere has become more about spectacle than sport, with some even accusing New Yorkers of being “disrespectful” and “embarrassing.” The behavior echoes similar complaints in other sports, like the fan meltdowns at fall weddings that went viral, or the on-air blunders that plague sports media.
However, some longtime observers say this is nothing new. “It has been like this since the McEnroe, Connors era. Social media didn’t exist like this, so every moment was recorded for FB. It has always been a fun, wild tournament,” one fan pointed out.
Indeed, the U.S. Open has long been known for its raucous crowds, a contrast to the more reserved atmospheres at Wimbledon or Roland Garros. But with players increasingly speaking out, the question is whether the tournament will take steps to rein in the behavior—or if this is just part of the charm.
What do you make of the fan behavior at the U.S. Open? Is it passion or a problem?
