French Open organizers have committed to modifying the placement of advertising hoardings around Roland Garros courts after a spate of alarming falls and injuries during the 2026 tournament. Two high-profile incidents within five days, involving Great Britain's Katie Boulter and Turkey's Zeynep Sönmez, prompted widespread calls from players to prioritize safety over commercial visibility.
The most serious episode unfolded during a women’s doubles match on Friday when Sönmez chased a ball deep behind the baseline and tripped over a Lacoste-branded board. The impact forced her to retire immediately, and she later confirmed on social media that she required two stitches and suffered a bruised knee. “I left the court with two stitches and a bruised knee. Thankfully, it wasn’t worse,” she wrote, underscoring the potential for severe injuries.
Just a day earlier, Boulter endured a near-identical mishap in her second-round singles clash against Anastasia Potapova. While lunging for a shot, her heels caught the same style of court-side hoarding, sending her tumbling. The British No. 3 took to social media to express her frustration, declaring that the boards must be removed and noting she was fortunate to escape without a serious injury. Her stark warning highlighted the randomness of luck in avoiding a career-threatening accident.
Both players’ calls for action resonated quickly. Sönmez joined Boulter’s outcry, asking whether the sport must wait for a catastrophic injury before officials intervene. Their united front drew support from top-ranked stars, including four-time champion Iga Swiatek, who pointed out that the unique demands of clay-court tennis amplify the danger.
Swiatek articulated the problem with characteristic clarity. “On a clay court we need more space because the balls are flying higher, and you can use the court a bit more with the spin and everything,” she said. The world No. 1 emphasized that there are alternative methods to showcase sponsors without compromising players’ ability to compete safely. Her intervention carried weight, given her status as a multiple Roland Garros winner and a leading voice in the locker room.
The French Tennis Federation (FFT) responded to the mounting criticism with a statement acknowledging the players’ feedback. Officials confirmed that adjustments are being made to the area around the playing surface. The FFT noted that all Roland Garros courts exceed the international circuit’s minimum requirement of 6.4 meters between the baseline and the back of the court—a standard met during the stadium’s modernization in 2018-19.
However, the incidents exposed the limitation of relying solely on minimum dimensions. On clay, players frequently slide wide and deep to retrieve balls, often using the entire available space beyond the lines. The fixed hoardings, positioned to maximize brand exposure, effectively reduce that usable area and create hidden hazards. Critics argue that the official measurements don’t account for dynamic movement or the surface’s slipperiness, making compliance a paper-thin defense.
The advertising boards at the center of the controversy prominently displayed Lacoste, an official partner of the French Open. The conflict between commercial imperatives and athlete welfare is not unique to Roland Garros, but the back-to-back injuries intensified scrutiny. Players expressed sympathy for the tournament’s need to generate revenue, yet insisted that safety must be the absolute priority.
The FFT’s decision to make adjustments suggests a pragmatic compromise: the boards may be moved further back, angled differently, or replaced with less intrusive signage. Such changes would allow sponsors to maintain visibility while giving competitors the freedom to play without fear. The swift response indicates a willingness to correct course before the tournament progresses deeper into its second week.
For the players, the adjustments cannot come soon enough. Sönmez’s retirement and stitches served as a stark physical reminder of the risks. Boulter’s escape was a matter of inches and luck. Their experiences have already changed the conversation around court safety, and the FFT’s actions will likely influence how other Grand Slams and ATP/WTA events evaluate their own court setups.
Looking ahead, the episode may prompt a broader review of court configurations across the sport. As Swiatek noted, innovation in sponsor integration exists—digital overlays, repositioned boards, or elevated displays could maintain corporate partnerships without encroaching on the field of play. The Roland Garros adjustments could set a benchmark for proactive safety measures in tennis.
Based on reporting from Sky Sports.