Katie Boulter has called for on-court advertising boards to be scrapped at the French Open after players repeatedly stumbled over them during matches. The former British women's number one tripped over one during her second-round clash against Anastasia Potapova on Court 13, dropping her racket in the process.
Boulter, 29, took the opening set 7-5, but the 28th seed fought back to claim the second 6-4 and third 6-2. Coco Gauff now awaits Potapova in the third round this weekend.
The morning after becoming the last remaining Brit to exit this year's second Grand Slam, Boulter took to social media to urge the French Tennis Federation, organisers of the French Open, to rid the courts of the hazardous obstacles once and for all.
She posted on X: "THESE THINGS HAVE TO GO. Got lucky last night but next time I might not be..." The post came in response to a user who shared images of her fall and also demanded action.
Less than 30 minutes after Boulter's post, Zeynep Sonmez tripped over one of the boards just two games into her second-round doubles match alongside Tatjana Maria against Anhelina Kalinina and Dayana Yastremska. Responding to footage of the Turkish player's tumble, Boulter wrote: "Omg! Not again!"
Sonmez ultimately had to retire after sustaining a freak injury when she fell while attempting to retrieve a ball at the back of the court. She lost her footing on one of the compact triangular boards, shaped much like a Toblerone box.
Boulter and Sonmez are not the only players to have tripped over objects around the court at Roland Garros this year. Alexander Blockx was forced to pull out before the main draw even began after claiming to have sprained his ankle on the rolled-up tarpaulin covers surrounding the practice court at the Paris Jean-Bouin club.
He said in a post on Instagram: "Unfortunately, during today's practice, I heard a snap in my ankle while I sprained it thanks to the 'really necessary' covers at the back of the court @rolandgarros, which is why I had to withdraw from tomorrow's match that I was really looking forward to. A lot of frustration, but we move on."
Blockx later removed "thanks to the 'really necessary' covers at the back of the court @rolandgarros" from the message. The world number 37's coach, Ruben Bemelmans, has since told The Athletic that his team may pursue compensation.
He said: "There should be a solution for that because the courts are very narrow, there's not much space behind the courts, so in my opinion, it shouldn't be there, or there should be another solution other than putting them on the ground. The speed of the game is getting so quick, and I mean the courts there are very, very narrow, there can be other solutions than putting them on the ground."
Mirror Sport has approached the French Tennis Federation for comment.
