Sabalenka, who went on to defeat Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4, raised the issue during her second service game, telling umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore: "Do you mind? Because it's so strong."
The Belarusian later told reporters she was not objecting to anyone enjoying themselves but pleaded for the smoking to be kept away from the court.
"I was like, 'Guys, you can do whatever, you can smoke whatever, you can relax as much as you can, but please not do it around the tennis courts,'" a smiling Sabalenka said. "It's a bit tricky to handle that smell while you're trying to compete at your best."
The odour of cannabis has become a familiar — if unwelcome — feature at Flushing Meadows, with players complaining about the distraction in the past. While smoking is not permitted inside the grounds, recreational cannabis is legal for adults over 21 in New York. Smoke from people in the surrounding Flushing Meadows-Corona Park can drift into the tennis complex and onto the courts.
Sabalenka said she had previously smelled cannabis at the tournament but never so strongly during a match, with the wind apparently carrying the odour into the stadium. "I don't know if it was coming from the crowd or was from the outside because the wind blows it into the stadium," she said. "I just hope they are a bit more aware of that stuff."