Who is Zeynep Sonmez, the Wimbledon with the ‘Palestine’ watermelon racket?
East Africa News
The 24-year-old Turkish history maker defied a Wimbledon ban to show quiet, powerful solidarity with Palestine on the global stage.
Zeynep Sonmez‘s 2026 Wimbledon singles campaign came to a halt in the second round following a 7-5, 6-3 defeat to American Claire Liu.
But the 24-year-old Turkish tennis player left an indelible mark on the tournament by taking a quiet yet powerful stance for Palestine, on the iconic grass courts of London.
Regional Impact
Prevented by tournament organisers from displaying a pro-Palestinian solidarity brooch on her attire, Sonmez creatively attached a watermelon-themed vibration dampener on her racket strings.
The watermelon has become a symbol of Palestinian solidarity and pride among activists after Israel suppressed displays of the Palestinian flag. The watermelon not only has the same colours as Palestine’s flag – red, white and black – but the fruit is also one of the most popular crops for farmers across Palestine.
Speaking to Turkiye’s Anadolu agency shortly after her match, Sonmez exposed the bureaucratic hurdles she faced and what she perceived as a glaring double standard from international tennis administrators regarding political expression.
Analysis
“I used to wear a brooch, but tournaments no longer allow me to wear it,” she said. Sonmez pointed out that tennis authorities have not barred athletes from displaying the Ukrainian flag in solidarity with Kyiv during the war with Russia.
“I argued with the managers that the Ukrainian flag is allowed, but the Palestinian one is not. Following our conversations, they stated that they strictly would not permit it,” she added.
Faced with a strict prohibition on her clothing accessories, Sonmez has adopted the watermelon symbol as a permanent fixture on her racket.
Stay informed with the latest news on Wararka.so — your trusted source for Somalia and world news.
