Zeynep Sönmez makes Turkish tennis historyCEFR B1
8 Jul 2025
Adapted from Arzu Geybullayeva, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Umair Dingmar, Unsplash
Zeynep Sönmez, born in Istanbul in 2002, became the first Turkish player to reach the third round at Wimbledon. The result lifted her to 74th place in the WTA live rankings and marked the first time in 75 years that a Turkish player reached a Grand Slam third round in singles.
Her rise followed a strong 2024 season. She won her first WTA singles title at the Merida Open Akron in November 2024. That victory helped her move up the rankings and allowed her to enter the Roland Garros main draw for the first time.
As a child she was discovered at a summer camp and later found inspiration at the WTA Finals in Istanbul. After Wimbledon she said she saw areas to improve, felt her potential, and planned to aim for better results at the US Open.
Difficult words
- ranking — Order of players based on their resultsrankings
- Grand Slam — One of the four biggest tennis tournaments
- main draw — The central tournament stage with main players
- discover — To find someone with new talent or abilitydiscovered
- inspiration — A feeling that gives new ideas and energy
- potential — Ability that could develop into better performance
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might reaching the third round at Wimbledon affect Sönmez's future career and confidence?
- Why is winning a WTA singles title important for a player's ranking and opportunities?
- Have you ever been inspired by a sports event or athlete? Describe what changed for you.
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