Siding falls off video board, delays French Open match

PARIS – Play was stopped for more than 30 minutes Tuesday afternoon during a French Open men's quarterfinal match inside Court Philippe Chatrier, when a piece of metal siding fell off a large electronic video board.

"We had heard a rattling the whole match," spectator Sydney Fass said. "I thought it was something against a pole. And then all I heard was screaming and we ducked."

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was leading Kei Nishikori 6-1, 5-2 around 5 p.m. local time when high winds blew a large piece off the top of the scoreboard's frame onto a TV commentary deck, then onto a row of fans.

"We saw the big gigantic piece of metal and we covered our heads," added Anne Fass, her mother.

The French Tennis Federation released a statement that said three sustained minor injuries.

Images on social media showed blood on the ground in the row of seats where the piece landed.

An ambulance was brought onto the grounds of Roland Garros and into a hallway of the stadium, which serves as the French Open's biggest court. A drape was put up before the ambulance drove away several minutes later.

A blustery day in Paris has seen winds reach up to 20 miles per hour, making play difficult for players at the French Open.

The delay lasted 37 minutes as tournament officials rushed to secure the area. They cleared the immediate area of seats around where the siding had fallen.

This French Open has had its share of controversy, as Roger Federer was approached by a fan on court on day one of the event on the same court. In addition, an article appeared on the tournament's official website that discussed rumors surrounding Stan Wawrinka's personal life. The story was later taken down.