Wimbledon star Zeynep Sonmez was forced to take drastic action after her request to wear a Palestine brooch was rejected by tournament officials. The Turkish player, who was eliminated in the second round by Claire Liu in straight sets, instead sported a watermelon-shaped vibration dampener on her racket as a symbol of protest.
Dress Code Controversy
The All England Club enforces a strict all-white dress code, with violations punishable by fines of up to £15,700. Sonmez's appeal to wear the brooch was denied, despite a 2022 exemption that allowed Ukrainian flags following the war with Russia. Sonmez criticized the double standard, stating, "We had a discussion with the organisers because the Ukrainian flag is allowed but the Palestinian is not. They ultimately told us they definitely would not allow it."
Watermelon as a Symbol
Sonmez explained that she chose the watermelon-shaped dampener because officials could not object to it. The watermelon is a recognized symbol of Palestine, as the fruit is grown there and shares the colors of the Palestinian flag: red, green, white, and black. It is often used to represent opposition to Israeli occupation. "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," Sonmez told Turkish outlet AA.
Match Performance and Notes
During her singles match, which ended in defeat, Sonmez also used handwritten notes to manage her stress. "Because I can feel stressed or nervous during a match, I write down the things I need to pay attention to before the match so I can read them at those moments," she said. "I usually write notes about my opponent or reminders to stay calm mentally and keep my mind clear. I didn't play very well. I couldn't play according to the game plan I wanted."
Express Sport has reached out to the All England Club for comment, but it remains unclear whether the ban on the brooch was enforced by Wimbledon or by WTA Tour or ITF rules.
