Tennis player Zeynep Sönmez finds loophole in strict Wimbledon dress code
Jen Thomas
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Anadolu
Wimbledon is known for having some very strict rules, including a dress code for players to adhere to.
One player, Zeynep Sönmez, shared how she found a loophole after she alleged she was banned from wearing an item she wanted.
Sönmez, from Istanbul, is the Turkish No.1 player and is ranked No. 51 in the world ratings.
She claims she fell foul of the All England Club's strict dress code when she wanted to wear a Palestine badge.
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In an interview she claims she was told that she couldn't, but didn't say if it was Wimbledon who refused or if it was a WTA Tour or International Tennis Foundation rule.
Wimbledon enforces a strict all-white dress code for players, and anyone breaching this could face an eyewatering fine of up to £15,700 per rule break.
Sönmez has criticised the move, after Wimbledon relaxed restrictions in 2022 to allow players to wear pins for Ukraine due to the conflict in Russia.
To work around it, she attached a little watermelon symbol to her racket as the vibration dampener.
She told Turkish state media, the Anadolu Agency: “I used to wear a pin. Tournaments no longer allow me to wear it."
"We had a discussion with the organisers because the Ukrainian flag is allowed but the Palestinian is not," she explained.
“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," she revealed.
"That’s why I put the watermelon symbol on my racket.”
The watermelon is regarded by many as a more subtle symbol for Palestine, due to the red, green, white and black colours being the same as the flag, and it is also cultivated there.
Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Askin Bak wrote 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."
Back in 2024 the player told the WTA official website about wearing a pin: "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," she insisted.
‘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."
Unfortunately for Sönmez, her time at Wimbledon was short-lived as she was beaten 7-5, 6-3 in the singles on Wednesday by American Claire Liu.
She told The Telegraph Sport: “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 player was also noticed for her habit of reading handwritten notes during breaks.
She explained: “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.”
Tyla has reached out to the AELTC for comment.