Iga Swiatek has called on the French Open to alter the layout of its courts following a spate of injuries caused by players tripping over advertising boards and other obstacles at Roland Garros. The world No. 3 said the tournament must react to ensure player safety, after multiple competitors were forced to withdraw from matches this week.
On Friday, Turkish player Zeynep Sonmez and her partner Tatjana Maria retired from their second-round doubles match after Sonmez fell while chasing a lob and collided with a Lacoste advertising board. Sonmez later posted on social media that she left the court with two stitches and a bruised knee, joining Great Britain's Katie Boulter in calling for the boards to be removed. Boulter had narrowly avoided injury in a similar incident during her second-round match.
Earlier in the week, Belgian player Alexander Blockx withdrew after injuring his ankle on rain covers at the back of a practice court. He initially posted about the incident on Instagram before editing his statement. The issue is not new at Roland Garros; in 2017, David Goffin was forced to retire from a match after a similar accident.
The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that places advertising boards and rain covers behind the baseline, with other events either pressing boards against the back wall or omitting them entirely. The problem is exacerbated on clay, where players often defend from deeper positions. Marta Kostyuk, who faces Swiatek next, expressed doubt that the tournament would make changes, saying some rules seem immovable regardless of player feedback.
