Katie Boulter insists she was lucky to avoid serious injury after she tripped over an advertising hoarding just hours before Zeynep Sonmez was forced to retire after suffering the same fate.
British number three Boulter stepped back while trying to play a shot during her second-round defeat to Anastasia Potapova and trod on the small green Lacoste advertising blocks, similar to cricket boundary markers, placed in front of the tarpaulin covers at the back of the court.
Boulter lost her balance and fell, put was able to put her hands down on the clay to brace herself.
‘THESE THINGS HAVE TO GO,’ said Boulter on social media, reposting pictures of the Brit tripping over the markers along with the caption: ‘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?’
‘Got lucky last night,’ added Boulter. ‘Next time I might not be…’
Zeynep Sonmez tripped over the advertising hoardings at the back of the court
The Turkish player was clearly in considerable pain as she was attended to at the back of the court
Sonmez was later helped off the court and had to retire from her match
First thing this morning, Turkish doubles player Sonmez raced back early in her second-round clash alongside doubles partner Tatjana Maria, didn’t see the hoarding as she kept her eyes on the ball, tripped and face-planted into the back wall, falling to the floor and cutting her knee. Sonmez retired at just 2-0 in the opening set.
‘Omg! Not again!’ Boulter replied to a video of the incident on X.
FFT has been approached for comment.
The incidents come after Alexander Blockx had to withdraw from the men’s draw after spraining his ankle during practice, which he later revealed on social media – and then deleted – was due to him tripping on the tarpaulins at the back of the court.
‘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.’
Blockx later edited his post to remove the reference to the covers.
