MELBOURNE: Anyone strolling past Melbourne Park’s outer courts on Wednesday could have been forgiven for thinking they had wandered into Istanbul, as deafening cheers followed Turkish trailblazer Zeynep Sonmez at the Australian Open.
Backed by a passionate contingent of fans and buoyed by her growing popularity in Melbourne after assisting an ill ball girl in her opening match, Sonmez thrived on court seven to defeat Hungary’s Anna Bondar 6-2 6-4 and advance.
“I felt like I was at home,” Sonmez said after matching her best Grand Slam run, having also reached the third round at Wimbledon last year. “I was feeling the energy. It was unreal. I felt the support, and I felt like we were all playing together.”
Sonmez’s rise reflects a broader trend at the year’s first Grand Slam, with players from nations outside traditional tennis powerhouses capturing attention. Filipina teenager Alexandra Eala has drawn large crowds around practice courts, while Janice Tjen became the first Indonesian in 28 years to win a main-draw match at the Australian Open, winning new admirers in the process.
