Katie Boulter has called on French Open organisers to remove advertising hoardings at the back of the court after she narrowly avoided serious injury during her second-round match at Roland Garros. The British number one took to social media to express her concerns following a scary incident on Court 13, where she tripped over a concrete block adorned with Lacoste branding.
Boulter's Lucky Escape
During her 6-4, 6-3 loss to Anastasia Potapova, Boulter stumbled over the hoarding and fell towards the back wall. In a post on X, she wrote: 'THESE THINGS HAVE TO GO. Got lucky last night but next time I might not be…' The 28-year-old emphasised that the blocks pose a significant risk to players, especially when moving at high speed near the baseline.
Growing List of Injuries
Boulter is not alone in her criticism. Turkish doubles player Zeynep Sonmez was forced to retire from her second-round match after tripping over a similar block. She required stitches and treatment from medics for ten minutes. Sonmez backed Boulter's call, stating: 'I stand with Katie. Five incidents in five days. I left the court with two stitches and a bruised knee. Thankfully, it wasn’t worse. Do we really have to wait until a player is seriously injured before these courtside boards are removed? Player safety must come first.'
Belgian player Alexander Blockx has also threatened legal action after injuring his ankle in a similar incident. He sarcastically posted on Instagram about the 'really necessary' blocks before editing the post. Blockx had to withdraw from the tournament entirely.
Former Champion Speaks Out
Former Grand Slam doubles champion Pat Shriver was particularly critical of the situation. She detailed that the concrete signs add to a growing list of concerns for professionals at the tournament. In a post, she listed: 'Tarps in play, Lacoste signs in play, large white sponsor signage on back wall hurting vision, sub par umbrellas for shade, suboptimal % of prize money, no heat rule… How else are players well fair [sic] not being looked after?'
The French Open organisers have yet to respond to the mounting criticism, but players are demanding immediate action to prevent further injuries. The concrete hoardings, which are used for sponsor advertising, have become a safety hazard on the clay courts, and many believe it is only a matter of time before a serious accident occurs.
