Wimbledon player Zeynep Sonmez has alleged that she was prohibited from wearing a Palestine brooch during her match. The All England Club famously enforces a strict all-white dress code, with breaches potentially resulting in fines of up to £15,700 per infringement, and Sonmez’s appeal to wear different colours was rejected.
The Turkish competitor, who was knocked out in the second round by Claire Liu in straight sets, has criticised the ruling because Wimbledon created a special allowance for the Ukrainian flag in 2022, in the wake of the conflict with Russia. Regulations were eased in that instance, but Sonmez was not afforded the same privilege.
Sonmez revealed she instead chose to bring a watermelon-shaped vibration dampener, a small device attached to racket strings to minimise vibration, onto court with her, as officials could not raise objections to it.
“I used to wear a pin. Tournaments no longer allow me to wear it,” Sonmez told Turkish outlet AA. “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. 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.” The watermelon is associated with Palestine as it is cultivated there and displays the same colours as the Palestinian flag: red, green, white and black.
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It is widely regarded as a symbol of opposition against Israeli oppression and occupation. Sonmez did not make clear whether the All England Club had banned her from wearing the pin, or whether the restriction stemmed from a WTA Tour or ITF regulation.
Sonmez stepped onto the court sporting her watermelon-shaped vibration dampener for the singles match, which ended in defeat, and also brought handwritten notes to consult between games.
View 2 ImagesZeynep Sonmez claimed she was not allowed to wear her Palestine brooch(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
“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,” Sonmez explained. “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. It wasn’t a day when I played good tennis or felt the ball well.” The All England Club has been reached for comment.
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