French Open organisers have said they will make “adjustments to the area around the playing surface” after players complained about the placement of advertising boards.Katie Boulter and other leading players called for action to be taken after a series of incidents and injuries on court at Roland Garros.
Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sönmez was forced to retire from her women’s doubles match on Friday after she tripped over an advertising board while trying to return a shot at the back of the court.
The 24-year-old did not suffer major injuries following the fall but added on X: “I left the court with 2 stitches and a bruised knee. Thankfully, it wasn’t worse.”
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Zeynep Sönmez tripped over an advertising board at the French Open on Friday
Boulter also fell over the hoardings during her second-round singles defeat to Anastasia Potapova on Thursday after catching the heels of her feet on an advertising board at the back of the court. She was attempting to play a shot when the incident took place.
The boards both carried the name of the French Open’s official partner, Lacoste.
The British No 3 took to X on Friday to write: “THESE THINGS HAVE TO GO. [I] got lucky last night, but next time I might not be.”
Sönmez added: “I stand with Katie. Do we really have to wait until a player is seriously injured before these courtside boards are removed?
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“Player safety must come first.”In response to the players, French Open bosses explained “adjustments were currently being made to the area around the playing surface”.Four-time women’s singles champion Iga Swiatek is…
2026-05-29 23:09:00
