French Open to modify courts after player falls over ads

A growing safety controversy has forced French Open organizers to make immediate adjustments to court setups after multiple players suffered dangerous falls involving advertising boards positioned behind the baselines. The issue came to a head on Friday when Turkish player Zeynep Sonmez was forced to retire from her women's doubles match following a painful collision.

During a second-round match on Court 6, Sonmez, 24, chased a high lob to the back of the court, tripped over a green Lacoste advertising board, and fell into the wall. She received medical attention on court for approximately ten minutes before retiring from the match. Sonmez later stated she sustained a bruised knee requiring two stitches.

Her incident was not isolated. Less than 24 hours earlier, Britain's Katie Boulter tripped over a similar structure on Court 13 during her singles match, though she avoided serious injury. Belgian player Alexander Blockx also suffered an ankle injury earlier in the week after reportedly tripping over rain tarps at a practice facility, forcing his withdrawal from the tournament.

Following the incidents and public criticism from players, tournament organizers released a formal...