Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sonmez has claimed that Wimbledon officials prohibited her from wearing a pin expressing support for Palestine during her matches at the All England Club. The world No. 51 competed in three matches at this year's tournament, including a first-round singles win over Ann Li, a straight-sets loss to Claire Liu, and a doubles defeat alongside Jessica Bouzas Maneiro against Shuko Aoyama and En Shuo Liang.
Watermelon Symbol Used as Alternative
In all three appearances, Sonmez's racket featured a vibration dampener shaped like a watermelon, a widely recognised symbol of Palestinian solidarity. She stated that she had previously worn a similar pin on her dress but was told it was not permitted 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 publicly praised Sonmez for her stance. In a post on X, he wrote: '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 Pin
In 2024, Sonmez explained her reasons for wearing a Palestine pin to 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 enforces a strict all-white dress code, 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, organisers have shown flexibility in the past. In 2024, Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina was allowed 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 for comment on Sonmez's claims.
