ROLAND GARROS — French Open organisers are facing criticism over their attitude to safety after a bizarre injury left one player with stitches and forced her to retire.
Turkish doubles star Zeynep Sonmez was scampering towards the back of the court to retrieve a ball in her second-round match when she tripped over an advertising hoarding at the back of the court and fell into the back wall.
The board, bearing the name of major tournament sponsor Lacoste, sits in front of the line judges and is made of foam covered in plastic.
Sonmez, 24, spent more than 10 minutes being attended to by medics on Court 6 and was eventually forced to quit the match after just two games.
Less than 24 hours earlier, British No 3 Katie Boulter had tripped over a similar block on Court 13, which like Court 6 is one of the smallest outside courts at Roland Garros with less space behind the baseline than the show courts.
