Zeynep Sönmez reaches Wimbledon second round after comeback win

Turkish national tennis player Zeynep Sönmez advanced to the second round at Wimbledon 2026 on Monday after a 2‑1 comeback win over American Ann Li in the opening round. Sönmez, ranked No. 51 in the world, overturned a slow start against world No. 29 Li in a match marked by shifting momentum. Li took early control of the first set, building a 4‑1 lead, but Sönmez responded with a run of games, breaking serve twice to move ahead 5‑4. She won the set 7‑5.

Turning point

Li dominated the second set, racing to a 3‑0 lead and closing it out 6‑1 to level the match. The deciding set was closely contested, with both players holding serve through eight games at 4‑4. Sönmez then broke to go ahead and served out the match, winning the set 6‑4 to complete the comeback. It was her third career win in three meetings against Li, having previously defeated the American at the Merida Open.

Historic context

With the victory, Sönmez will face either American Claire Liu or Belgium’s Hanne Vandewinkel in the second round. Last year, she made history at Wimbledon by becoming the first Turkish player to reach the third round at the tournament, and the first Turkish player to reach that stage at any Grand Slam since 1950. Her success continues to inspire Turkish tennis fans and underscores Türkiye’s growing presence in international tennis.