Tennis demands an unusual level of concentration, with players often requiring near silence from the stands as they prepare to serve or return. Yet the sport's biggest stages have repeatedly been disrupted by incidents that have little to do with what is happening between the lines.
Aryna Sabalenka provided the latest example at the 2026 US Open when a strong cannabis smell drifted onto the court during her third-round match against Kamilla Rakhimova. The world No. 1 stopped play and asked the umpire to address the issue, saying the odour was making it difficult to focus.
The interruption was brief and did not derail Sabalenka, but it added another unusual episode to a long list of moments when players have been forced to deal with anything from
unruly spectators to animals and even protesters.
Here are seven of the most bizarre interruptions tennis has witnessed.
1. Aryna Sabalenka interrupted by cannabis smell at US Open
Sabalenka's latest experience is one of the stranger reasons a player has had to interrupt a Grand Slam match.
During her third-round meeting with Rakhimova at the US Open, a strong smell of cannabis reached the court. Sabalenka brought it to the umpire's attention and asked for action, explaining that the odour was affecting her concentration.
Play resumed after a short pause and Sabalenka went on to win the match.
The episode also comes at a time when player concentration and spectator behaviour have become increasingly intertwined at major tournaments, with fans and content creators finding new ways to make their presence felt inside stadiums.
2. Naomi Osaka and the influencer disruption
The US Open has already produced another unusual crowd-related interruption this year.
Naomi Osaka's first-round match was briefly halted after a group of content creators and influencers reportedly shouted while filming a video in the stands.
The incident quickly became part of a wider conversation around spectator etiquette, particularly as social media has changed how some fans behave at live sporting events.
Tennis has traditionally demanded a level of restraint from spectators that is unusual in professional sport. But as players increasingly become global social media figures, the boundaries between fan engagement and disruption are being tested.
3. The Miami Open iguana invasion
Few players can say an iguana interrupted one of their matches.
Tommy Haas experienced exactly that during his 2017 Miami Open match against JiřÍ VeselÝ, when a large iguana climbed onto the electronic scoreboard overlooking the court.
The bizarre visitor caused play to be interrupted as officials tried to deal with it.
Haas, however, appeared more amused than concerned. He walked towards the scoreboard and took a selfie with the animal before it was eventually removed by handlers.
The episode became one of the tournament's most memorable off-court moments.
4. Naomi Osaka's unexpected Australian Open visitor
Osaka has found herself on the receiving end of another unusual interruption.
During the 2020 Australian Open, a large moth landed on her face in the middle of a match.
Rather than allowing the moment to become a prolonged distraction, Osaka carefully dealt with the insect and took it towards the side of the court.
It was a relatively harmless interruption, but an unforgettable one nonetheless - particularly given the contrast between the intensity of a Grand Slam match and the unexpected appearance of an insect on court.
5. The Wimbledon marriage proposal
Some interruptions have become part of tennis folklore because of the player's response rather than the disruption itself.
During Steffi Graf's 1995 Wimbledon semi-final against Kimiko Date, a spectator interrupted a quiet moment by shouting a marriage proposal towards the German.
Graf responded by asking how much money the fan had.
The exchange produced laughter around Centre Court before the players returned their attention to the match.
It remains one of the more memorable examples of a player turning an unexpected crowd interruption into a moment of humour.
6. Jimmy Jump's French Open court invasion
Court invasions have produced some of tennis' most serious security breaches, and the 2009 French Open final provided one of the more bizarre examples.
During Roger Federer's meeting with Robin Soderling, notorious pitch invader Jimmy Jump managed to get onto the court.
He ran towards Federer and attempted to place a red hat on the Swiss before security personnel intervened and removed him.
The incident briefly interrupted the final, although Federer was able to regain his composure and eventually secured his first French Open title.
7. The US Open protester who glued his feet to the floor
One of the most disruptive recent interruptions came during the 2023 US Open semi-final between Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova.
Climate protesters interrupted the match from the stands, leading to a lengthy stoppage as security dealt with the demonstrators.
The situation became particularly complicated when one protester had glued his bare feet to the concrete floor.
That meant security could not simply remove him from the venue. The process of getting him unstuck contributed to a delay of around 50 minutes before play could resume.
Gauff eventually defeated Muchova to reach the final.
When tennis' silence is broken
The common thread through these incidents is how quickly something outside the match can disrupt the controlled environment professional players depend on.
Sabalenka's cannabis complaint, Osaka's influencer interruption, an iguana at the Miami Open and a protester glued to the floor are vastly different incidents. But each demonstrates how little control players have over what happens beyond the baseline.
For a sport built around silence, concentration and routine, tennis has produced a remarkably unpredictable catalogue of interruptions.
