Zeynep Sönmez made a crisp and confident start to her Australian Open campaign, brushing aside Czech teenager Laura Samsonova 6-2, 6-2 on Monday to reach the second round of women’s qualifying at Melbourne Park.
Playing on Court 11, the 23-year-old Turk needed just 1 hour, 15 minutes to assert her authority, breaking early in both sets and rarely letting the match drift.
Seeded fifth in the qualifying draw, Sönmez dictated from the baseline, returning aggressively and keeping her unforced errors in check against an opponent still finding her feet on the senior stage.
Ranked No. 110 in the WTA standings entering the tournament, Sönmez faced Samsonova, a 17-year-old Czech ranked around No. 146 and competing in Australian Open qualifying for the first time.
Samsonova arrived with strong junior credentials, including a run to the French Open junior final in 2024, but struggled to cope with Sönmez’s pace, depth and composure in key moments.
The opening set set the tone.
Sönmez broke serve early, consolidated comfortably and closed it out 6-2 with minimal resistance.
The second followed a similar script, as her reliable return game repeatedly exposed Samsonova’s serve. Sönmez converted her break chances efficiently and protected her own delivery, never allowing the match to swing.
The win continues a steady upward trajectory for Türkiye’s top-ranked women’s player.
Sönmez enjoyed a breakthrough 2025 season, reaching a career-high No. 69 in October, capturing her first WTA Tour singles title and posting several deep runs on the Challenger circuit.
A professional since 2018, the Istanbul-born right-hander has built her rise on consistency across ITF and WTA events, earning regular Grand Slam appearances through qualifying and carrying the torch for Turkish women’s tennis after trailblazers such as Çağla Büyükakçay.
Australian Open qualifying, running from Jan. 10-13, features 128 players battling for 16 main-draw spots, with three wins required to book a place in the tournament proper.
The stakes are high, offering valuable ranking points, prize money and a chance to compete alongside the sport’s elite.
Sönmez’s next test comes against Argentina’s Julia Riera, ranked No. 180, who cruised past Japan’s Ena Shibahara 6-1, 6-0 in her opening match.
Riera, also 23, is more comfortable on clay but has steadily improved on hard courts and reached the Australian Open main draw last year.
Their second-round meeting shapes up as a tight contest between two players eyeing a breakthrough.
With a potential final qualifying hurdle still to come, Sönmez remains two wins from the main draw, and from another step forward in a career that continues to gather momentum heading into the 2026 season.
