French Open players demand removal of sponsorship boards after injury
The French Tennis Federation faces mounting pressure to review court-side advertising infrastructure following a series of incidents involving player injuries and near-misses.
British player Katie Boulter has joined Turkish competitor Zeynep Sonmez in calling for the immediate removal of on-court sponsorship boards at the French Open. The demand follows a significant incident during Sonmez’s doubles match on Friday, where the 24-year-old tripped over a foot-high sign while chasing a ball. Sonmez retired from the match with a bruised knee and required two stitches to treat the wound.
Sonmez took to social media to question the necessity of the infrastructure, asking whether authorities must wait for a serious injury before implementing changes. Boulter, who narrowly avoided a similar collision during her singles match on Thursday, echoed these concerns. She described the advertisement blocks as an unnecessary hazard, stating that while she got lucky in avoiding injury, the risk remains too high for players to continue ignoring.
The call for removal has gained support from four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek and Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk. Kostyuk revealed that the presence of the boards has altered her gameplay, noting that she now avoids chasing certain balls due to fear of injury. The collective stance of these players highlights a growing consensus among the tour’s top competitors regarding safety standards at Roland Garros.
The French Tennis Federation (FFT) has been contacted for comment regarding the safety concerns. As of now, no official statement has been issued by the governing body. The incident has reignited debate over the physical layout of the tournament, particularly given the tight spaces behind the baselines which have contributed to previous injury risks.
Compounding the safety issues, the Paris heatwave has resulted in firmer and bouncier clay courts, prompting players to stand further behind the baseline to receive serves. This adjustment has increased the likelihood of collisions with court-side obstacles. Earlier this week, Belgium’s Alexander Blockx withdrew from the men’s singles after spraining his ankle on a tarpaulin rain cover at the Jean Bouin practice facility, further illustrating the hazardous environment.
Beyond sponsorship boards and rain covers, the French Open remains the only Grand Slam tournament to employ line judges, a practice discontinued by the ATP and WTA Tours in favour of electronic calling. Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo described the requirement to adjust to line judges as "very tough," particularly on smaller outdoor courts where officials must move out of the way. Cerundolo noted the difficulty of adapting to this dynamic, stating that players must be ready to avoid hitting officials and instruct them to move aside.
The combination of physical hazards, including sponsorship boards, rain covers, and line judges, alongside changing court conditions due to extreme heat, has created a complex safety landscape at the tournament. Players are increasingly vocal about the need for structural changes to protect athlete welfare, with the FFT yet to respond to the mounting criticism.
