Turkish tennis player backs Palestine with 'watermelon' racket symbol at Wimbledon

Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sonmez said she competed at Wimbledon with a watermelon-shaped vibration dampener on her racket after tournament organizers barred her from wearing a pin in support of Palestine. Speaking to Anadolu after her second-round exit at Wimbledon, Sonmez said tournament officials did not allow her to continue wearing the pin despite discussions on the issue. "I used to wear a pin. Tournaments no longer allow me to wear it. We had a discussion with the organizers because the Ukrainian flag is allowed but the Palestinian is not," Sonmez said. "They ultimately told us they definitely would not allow it. So, I can't wear the pin. I can use the vibration dampener, and they can't object to that. That's why I put the watermelon symbol on my racket," she said. Watermelon is grown in Palestine and shares the same colours as the Palestinian flag – red, green, white and black. It is considered a symbol of resistance against Israeli oppression and occupation.