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Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sonmez advanced to the second round of the Australian Open on Tuesday after defeating Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in three sets, marking a historic first for Turkish women’s tennis.
Ranked 112th in the world, Sonmez stunned the 11th-seeded Alexandrova 7–5, 4–6, 6–4 in the first round of the women’s singles at Melbourne Park, becoming the first Turkish female player to win a singles match in the Australian Open main draw.
The match lasted 2 hours and 37 minutes.
The 23-year-old Sonmez recovered from a 5–2 deficit in the opening set, saving two set points before closing it 7–5. Alexandrova, who had beaten Sonmez at Wimbledon last year, responded by taking the second set 6–4.
In the decider, Sonmez again showed resilience, rallying from 3–0 down to level the score before breaking serve late and sealing the match on her fourth match point.
She will face the winner of the match between Anna Bondar and Elizabeth Mandlik in the second round.
The 23-year-old Sonmez made headlines at Wimbledon last year, becoming the first player from Turkey to reach the third round at a Grand Slam in the Open era.
She will play either American wildcard Elizabeth Mandlik or Hungary's Anna Bondar next. Meanwhile, temperatures have been known to soar past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) during the Australian Open. They are forecast to reach a high of at least 36 degrees Celsius this week.
During the second set, play was briefly halted when a ball girl fainted courtside. Sonmez immediately ran over to assist her, helping her reach the medical staff.
The ball girl was treated and escorted off the court, with play resuming after a short delay.
The victory is the biggest of Sonmez’s career and marks her first appearance in the second round at Melbourne. It also represents a milestone moment for Turkish tennis on the Grand Slam stage.
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