Who is Zeynep Sonmez, the Wimbledon with the ‘Palestine’ watermelon racket?
Summary
Zeynep Sonmez, a Turkish tennis player, was eliminated in the second round of the 2026 Wimbledon singles tournament. She gained attention for showing support for Palestine by placing a watermelon-themed vibration dampener on her racket, after being banned from wearing pro-Palestinian symbols on her clothes.Key Facts
- Sonmez lost to American player Claire Liu with scores of 7-5, 6-3.
- Tournament officials blocked her from wearing a pro-Palestinian brooch during matches.
- The watermelon is used as a symbol of Palestinian solidarity because its colors match the Palestinian flag and it is an important Palestinian crop.
- Sonmez said Ukrainian symbols were allowed in tennis, but Palestinian ones were not.
- She chose the watermelon as a creative way to express support without breaking rules on clothing.
- Turkish officials, including the Youth and Sports Minister, praised her for supporting humanitarian values.
- Sonmez was born in Istanbul in 2002 and started her tennis journey inspired by a local tennis event.
- She was called the “golden racket of the future” by Turkish media and won Athlete of the Year in 2025.
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