The French Open has come under heavy criticism after Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sonmez suffered an injury during her doubles match due to a courtside advertising board. The incident occurred shortly after British star Katie Boulter narrowly avoided a similar accident at Roland Garros. Fans and players have raised serious concerns over player safety and the placement of sponsor boards near the court.
Sonmez's Injury and Fan Outrage
Sonmez twisted her ankle after colliding with a Lacoste advertising board during her second-round doubles match. She required medical treatment and was later ruled unfit to continue. The incident quickly sparked anger online, with many fans blaming tournament organizers for prioritizing sponsorship visibility over player safety. Boulter had earlier warned about the same issue after nearly falling during her singles match on Thursday night.
Boulter's Warning and Similar Incident
The controversy began when Katie Boulter almost tripped over one of the advertising boards during her second-round singles match. The British player escaped without injury but immediately voiced concern about the danger posed by the courtside setup. A day later, Zeynep Sonmez was not as fortunate. During her doubles match alongside Tatjana Maria, the Turkish player lost balance, crashed into the backboard, and rolled her ankle badly. She could not continue the match after receiving treatment.
Criticism of Organizers and Sponsor Boards
The boards carried the name and logo of French Open clothing partner Lacoste. Fans were furious that the boards remained in place despite Boulter's earlier warning. One fan wrote, "These advertising boards are unnecessary @rolandgarros players safety is more important than advertising Lacoste on the playing surface. Not really that hard to figure out." Another posted, "Again? This is beyond idiotic. Just put those things away." A third user added, "Roland Garros really deserves to be sued, she was lucky it wasn't something serious but for real… what's the point of those things on court? Write the name Lacoste on that banner behind and that's it, they risk player's health for sponsors." Another fan commented, "Seriously this slam is THE WORST for players!!! I hope she is okay and can make grass season."
Boulter's Reaction and Tournament Exit
Boulter also reacted strongly after learning about Sonmez's injury. "Not again", the Briton posted with a distressed emoji on X. Fans pointed out that organizers failed to act even after Boulter publicly warned about the danger. Boulter later exited the French Open after losing to Anastasia Potapova in the second round. Sonmez had already lost in singles to Daria Kasatkina before the doubles injury forced her withdrawal.
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