Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sonmez claimed Wimbledon banned her from wearing a pin in support of Palestine while competing at the All England Club. World No. 51 Sonmez beat Ann Li in her first-round singles clash before suffering a straight-set defeat to America's Claire Liu on Wednesday. She returned on Thursday for women's doubles alongside Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, but the pair lost in three sets to Shuko Aoyama and En Shuo Liang.
Watermelon Symbol Used Instead of Pin
In all three matches, Sonmez's racket featured a vibration dampener shaped like a watermelon, a well-known emblem of Palestinian solidarity. The 24-year-old has often worn a similar pin on her dress when playing, but said she was banned from doing so at Wimbledon. 'I used to wear a pin. Tournaments no longer allow me to wear it,' she told Turkish news agency Anadolu. 'We had a discussion with the organizers because the Ukrainian flag is allowed but the Palestinian is not. They ultimately told us they definitely would not allow it. So, I can't wear the pin. I can use the vibration dampener, and they can't object to that. That's why I put the watermelon symbol on my racket.'
Turkish Minister Shows Support
Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Askin Bak expressed support for Sonmez's stance, writing on X: 'We are proud of our athlete Zeynep Sönmez, who holds her conscience, courage, and human values above all else. By refusing to remain silent in the face of the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Palestine, she has once again demonstrated with her honorable stance that sport is not merely about competition; it is also a carrier of universal values. For this meaningful sensitivity, we wholeheartedly congratulate our athlete and respectfully salute every conscientious voice that stands with the oppressed.'
Sonmez's Previous Comments on Palestine
Speaking in 2024 about wearing a Palestine pin while competing, Sonmez told the WTA's official website: 'It's a sensitive area for me. People in Palestine are suffering. I see the videos and photos and feel that there's not so much we can do. But we can always do our best — it's like I was saying, you can be the best version of yourself. I want everyone to know that I'm standing with them. There are bad things going on all around the world, but I feel like they're not having the attention that they need. There is something very scary going on, and I want people to be aware of it. If I can take even a little bit of attention to them, that's good.'
Wimbledon's Dress Code and Exceptions
Wimbledon has a strict all-white dress code for players, stating on its website: 'Competitors must be dressed in suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white and this applies from the point at which the player enters the court surround.' However, organizers have occasionally shown flexibility. In 2024, they allowed Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina to wear a black ribbon to show solidarity with victims of a Russian bombing of a children's hospital in Kyiv. Metro has approached the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) for comment.
