Turkish Player Finds a Way After Wimbledon Bans Palestine Symbol

Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sonmez used a watermelon-shaped vibration dampener on her racket strings at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships after tournament organizers barred her from wearing a pin in support of Palestine.

Speaking to Anadolu following her second-round exit, Sonmez said discussions with organizers highlighted an inconsistency: "The Ukrainian flag is allowed, but the Palestinian is not."

She said officials ultimately confirmed the pin would not be permitted, prompting her to turn to the racket accessory instead, which she called something "they can't object to."

A Fruit as a Workaround

The watermelon carries the red, green, white, and black colors of the Palestinian flag and has become a recognized symbol of solidarity and resistance, often used where displaying the flag itself is restricted.

Sonmez has used similar watermelon-themed dampeners at past tournaments.

The All England Club reportedly permits black ribbons for tragedies or solidarity causes but restricts other political symbols, a policy that drew renewed scrutiny after her comments.

On-Court Results

Sonmez won her first-round singles match against American Ann Li before losing to fellow American Claire Liu 7-5, 6-3 in the second round.

She said she "didn't play very well" and struggled to stick to her game plan, adding that Liu "performed better" on the day.

She also competed in women's doubles alongside Spain's Jessica Bouzas but was eliminated in an early round.