Zeynep Sönmez announced herself on tennis’ biggest stage with poise, power and perspective, making history for Türkiye while surviving searing Melbourne heat and a three-set battle that delivered the biggest victory of her young career.
The 23-year-old qualifier, ranked No. 112 in the WTA standings, stunned seeded Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in the first round of the Australian Open, becoming the first Turkish woman in the Open Era to win a main-draw singles match at Melbourne Park.
It was a breakthrough shaped by resilience. Sönmez, who reached a career-high No. 69 in 2025 and claimed her maiden WTA title last season, entered the main draw through qualifying and showed no fear against the higher-ranked Alexandrova.
She absorbed pressure, dictated rallies with her flat baseline strokes and held her nerve late in a match that stretched well beyond two hours.
The contest unfolded under extreme conditions.
With temperatures climbing above 35 degrees Celcius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), play was briefly halted when a ball girl collapsed courtside.
Sönmez immediately rushed over with Alexandrova and officials, helping provide water and shade until medical staff arrived.
After a short delay, the match resumed and Sönmez calmly regrouped, breaking late in the decider to seal a historic win.
Afterward, her first thoughts were not about rankings or records.
Sönmez spoke with concern about the ball girl’s health and said she hoped to meet her once she recovered, drawing praise for her sportsmanship in one of the tournament’s most testing moments.
Waiting in the second round will be Hungary’s Anna Bondar, who delivered one of the most efficient performances of the opening days.
The 28-year-old, ranked around No. 75 and a former top-50 player, dismissed American wildcard Elizabeth Mandlik 6-0, 6-4 in just 69 minutes.
Bondar broke serve five times, controlled exchanges from the baseline and faced little resistance on her own delivery.
The opening-set bagel underlined her sharp return game and confidence on hard courts, continuing a strong start to her 2026 season after a quarterfinal run in Hobart.
Though known earlier in her career as a clay-court specialist, Bondar has grown increasingly comfortable on faster surfaces, adding depth and consistency to her game.
Wednesday’s second-round matchup will mark the first career meeting between Sönmez and Bondar, a contrast in paths and styles. Sönmez arrives with momentum and history behind her, riding the belief earned from a career-defining upset. Bondar brings experience, ranking advantage and a cleaner first-round performance.
