Wimbledon officials have allowed Turkish player Zeynep Sonmez to use a pro-Palestinian symbol on her tennis racket, determining that it did not violate the tournament’s guidelines on political messaging. Sonmez, currently ranked No. 51 in the world, used a vibration dampener shaped like a watermelon, a symbol linked to Palestinian solidarity. The item was placed between the strings of her racket during matches at this year’s tournament.

Sonmez had previously sought to wear a pin explicitly referencing the Palestinian Territories but was prohibited by Wimbledon organizers. She criticized the tournament for allowing Ukrainian players to display their national colors while restricting pro-Palestinian symbols, highlighting what she described as inconsistent enforcement. “We had a discussion with the organisers because the Ukrainian flag is allowed but the Palestinian is not,” she 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.”

The use of political messaging has long been prohibited in Grand Slam tennis events. Wimbledon’s tournament director, Jamie Baker, reiterated that the club maintains a strict policy against political statements on court but acknowledged an exception was made in the case of Ukraine. Baker explained that the Ukrainian situation was treated uniquely due to official government support for Kyiv, and the tournament had provided extended support to Ukrainian players following Russia’s invasion. “We don’t think [the watermelon symbol] is meeting the threshold for causing any kind of destruction,” Baker added, confirming that Sonmez would face no reprimand for her choice.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Wimbledon has barred Russian and Belarusian players from competing unless they sign a personal declaration of neutrality, a policy continuing since 2023. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian player Daria Snigur has been seen wearing a ribbon in her nation’s blue and yellow colors during matches.

The watermelon as a symbol of Palestinian identity has historical resonance dating back to the Six-Day War in 1967, when flags were banned in Gaza and the West Bank. Critics, including the Campaign Against Anti-semitism, have asserted that the watermelon’s use is a deliberate political statement. The group stated that the symbol’s colors match the Palestinian Authority flag and argued it implies the destruction of Israel and the establishment of a Palestinian state, expressing concern over what it called “deeply entrenched extremism” in public discourse.

Sonmez’s opportunity to display the watermelon symbol concluded after she was eliminated in the second round of the doubles competition.