By Shrivathsa Sridhar
MELBOURNE, Jan 18 (Reuters) – Zeynep Sonmez earned a place in fans’ hearts as well as the second round at the Australian Open on Sunday when the Turkish qualifier rushed to the aid of a ball girl who had fainted in the punishing Melbourne heat.
The world number 112 was locked in battle with 11th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova and waiting to receive serve in the second set when the girl, who was positioned beside the chair umpire, suddenly wobbled and fell on her back.
The girl picked herself up but stumbled again moments later, prompting 23-year-old Sonmez to stop play and run towards her.
With the crowd applauding, Sonmez put the girl’s arm over her shoulder and guided her to a seat so medical staff could provide treatment.
“She was really struggling. She said she was fine but it was really obvious she was not fine,” Sonmez told the BBC.
“So I went to grab her and said ‘sit down and drink something, you’re not fine’. As we were walking she fainted so luckily I grabbed her. She was really shaking.
“I always say it’s more important to be a good human being than a good tennis player. It was just my instinct to help her and everyone would do the same. I’m happy I got to help.
Organisers said the ball girl had returned home following treatment.
“If I see her tomorrow or later in the tournament I’d love to speak to her,” Sonmez said.
Sonmez went on to lose the second set but she was able to secure a 7-5 4-6 6-4 win and become the first woman from Turkey to reach the second round of the Melbourne Park Grand Slam.
Her victory comes on the back of a 2025 season in which she reached the third round at Wimbledon, marking the best Grand Slam result in the professional era for a Turkish woman.
She also reached the second round of the U.S. Open.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford and Clare Fallon)
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