Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sonmez demonstrated remarkable sportsmanship and humanity during her Australian Open first-round match on Sunday, rushing to the aid of a ball kid who collapsed in the intense Melbourne heat.
A Sudden Collapse in the Sun
The incident occurred during Sonmez's match against 11th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova on the 1573 Arena. While receiving serve in the second set, the world number 112 noticed a ball kid stationed near the umpire's chair begin to wobble and lose balance before stumbling backwards. Although the youngster quickly stood up, she immediately began to sway again.
Sonmez instantly raised her hand to stop play and sprinted to the courtside. She placed a supportive arm around the ball kid's waist and guided her towards a shaded area. With tournament officials swiftly arriving to assist, Sonmez had to physically lift the distressed child into a chair at the side of the court.
Medical Intervention and a Delayed Match
Medical staff promptly took over, assessing and treating the ball kid in the shade. The episode appeared to be heat-related, with air temperatures around 29°C (84°F) and the surface level on the exposed hardcourt significantly hotter and more intense.
Both players waited for approximately seven minutes until the ball kid and medical team had left the arena before resuming the contest. Tennis Australia later confirmed the youngster received medical attention on site at Melbourne Park and was subsequently allowed to return home.
"More Important to Be a Good Human Being"
Speaking to BBC Sport after her match, Sonmez described the alarming moments. "She was really struggling," the 23-year-old revealed. "She said she was fine but it was really obvious she was not fine. So I went to grab her and said 'sit down and drink something, you're not fine'. As we were walking she fainted so luckily I grabbed her. She was really shaking."
Sonmez, who famously stated her career philosophy last year, reiterated her core belief. "I always say it is more important to be a good human being than a good tennis player," she said. "It was just my instinct to help her and I think everyone would do the same. I'm happy I got to help."
A Victory On and Off the Court
Following the delay, Sonmez broke serve in that game but ultimately lost the second set. She rallied superbly, however, to clinch a stunning 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 upset victory over Alexandrova, marking her first-ever progression to the Australian Open second round. Her previous best Grand Slam performance was a third-round run at Wimbledon in 2023.
The qualifier's compassionate actions won immediate praise on social media, with fans and commentators hailing her as a "class act." Tennis reporter Jose Morgado noted: "Sonmez won more than once today at the Australian Open. Fantastic gesture with the ball girl here."
This was the second such incident at Melbourne Park within a week, following another ball kid's collapse during Luca van Assche's qualifying match against Moez Echargui. In that instance, Echargui also rushed to assist, and the child was later cleared to return to court after medical attention.
