Belgian Tennis Player Considering Legal Action
Belgian tennis player Alexander Blockx is reportedly considering seeking compensation from the French Open organizers after being forced to withdraw from his second-round match against Australia’s Alex de Minaur. The Australian has had a smooth journey at Roland Garros, securing a walkover into the third round.
De Minaur then received another unexpected advantage on Wednesday night when his third-round opponent, Jakub Mensik, collapsed and was taken off the court in a wheelchair after a grueling five-set victory over Mariano Navone in extreme heat. Mensik was suffering from cramps and exhaustion, and later criticized the conditions as “insane.”
It remains uncertain whether Mensik will be fit enough to face de Minaur or if he will be at 100% fitness. There is even a possibility that de Minaur could advance to the fourth round without much effort.
“I’m feeling pretty well – it’s just now about getting back the strength, a lot of fluids, and I’ll be OK,” Mensik said. “Alex has something similar game style as Navone today, so of course, it will be very, very difficult to put him under the pressure, but I’m doing pretty well here, feeling really in good form, so I will do my best to keep fighting and to get the W.” 
Alexander Blockx ‘Investigating’ Potential Legal Action
As for Blockx, his tournament campaign was cut short when he injured his ankle on the practice courts before he was scheduled to play against de Minaur in the second round. It has since been revealed that Blockx tripped over a court cover placed at the back of the court in case of rain. His team is reportedly investigating whether to pursue legal action.
Blockx’s coach, Ruben Bemelmans, told The Athletic: “There’s no signs (saying) ‘careful about covers in the back’. Are the covers necessary? I don’t think so. There should be a solution for that because the courts are very narrow. There’s not much space behind the courts. So in my opinion, it shouldn’t be there or there should be another solution other than putting them on the ground.” 
Past Incidents Involving Court Covers
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. In 2017, fellow Belgian player David Goffin twisted his ankle on a tarp at the back of a court during an actual match. Goffin had to retire hurt and withdraw from the tournament.
In 2018, American player Eugenie Bouchard slipped and fell in the locker room at the US Open and suffered a concussion, forcing her out of the tournament. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) was later ordered to pay 75 per cent of her damages.
