Zeynep Sonmez’s story is closely tied to the growth of tennis in Turkiye. As a child, she watched the WTA Finals in Istanbul and saw stars such as Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka up close.
Years later, the former ballgirl found herself competing on the same tour she once watched from the stands. Her breakthrough arrived in 2024, when she won the Merida Open for her first WTA singles title.
The victory made her the first Turkish player to claim a WTA Tour singles trophy since Cagla Buyukakcay in 2016 and marked a major turning point in her career. Since then, she has continued adding historic chapters to her career.
How old is Zeynep Sonmez?
Zeynep Sonmez is 24 years old. She was born on April 30, 2002, in Istanbul, Turkiye. She turned professional in 2016 and has spent the past several seasons moving from the ITF circuit into the upper levels of the WTA Tour.
Zeynep Sonmez during day two of the National Bank Open in 2026 (Source: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Her breakthrough came after years of gradual progress rather than an early junior explosion. She first made the WTA Top 100 in 2024, then continued climbing as her results against established players improved.
How tall is Zeynep Sonmez?
Zeynep Sonmez is 5-foot-7 (1.70 meters) tall. The WTA and ESPN both list the Turkish player at that height, with her playing right-handed.
Her game has increasingly become associated with aggression and movement. During her breakthrough in 2024, she worked on adding a more attacking approach and greater willingness to come forward.
What is Zeynep Sonmez’s current ranking?
Zeynep Sonmez is currently ranked No. 53 in the WTA singles rankings. The latest WTA player data lists her with 28 wins and 19 losses in 2026.
That position is below her career-best ranking of No. 48, which she reached in 2026. Earlier in the season, she climbed rapidly after starting the year at No. 110 and reached No. 67 following her strong Australian Open.
She also made Turkish tennis history in May 2026 when she reached No. 59, surpassing Cagla Buyukakcay’s previous national record of No. 60.
At what age did Zeynep Sonmez start playing tennis?
Zeynep Sonmez was already playing tennis by the time she was 11 or 12, when her interest in becoming a professional player began to take shape.
Her connection with tennis goes back to the WTA Finals in Istanbul. As a child, Sonmez attended the event between 2011 and 2013 and watched players such as Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka and Li Na.
She later became a ball girl at the tournament, including during Cagla Buyukakcay’s historic run. That experience had a lasting impact on her ambitions.
How much prize money has Zeynep Sonmez earned?
Zeynep Sonmez has earned $2,158,969 in career prize money as of August 31, 2026. The WTA’s official career prize-money rankings place her 345th among all players, with her earnings having grown considerably during her recent rise.
Zeynep Sonmez during the Women’s Singles First Round match on Day Two of the Lexus Nottingham Open (Source: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images for LTA)
ESPN’s current career statistics also list $2,158,969 in prize money, including $864,811 earned during the 2026 season. Her annual earnings have increased sharply as she has moved into bigger WTA events.
Her 2024 breakthrough alone brought $345,479, while she earned $813,647 in 2025. By comparison, her earnings in 2023 were $88,219, showing just how quickly her financial results have followed her rise in the rankings.
Zeynep Sonmez’s career highlights
- First WTA title in Merida: Sonmez won the 2024 Merida Open for the first WTA singles title of her career, defeating Ann Li 6-2, 6-1 in the final. She became the first Turkish player in more than eight years to win a WTA singles title, following Buyukakcay’s 2016 triumph in Istanbul.
- First Top 100 breakthrough: Her Merida title propelled Sonmez from No. 127 to No. 91 in the rankings, giving her a place inside the Top 100 for the first time. She finished 2024 with a ranking of No. 89.
- Wimbledon history in 2025: Sonmez became the first Turkish player, male or female, to reach the third round of a Grand Slam in the Open Era at Wimbledon. She defeated Jaqueline Cristian and Wang Xinyu before her run ended against Ekaterina Alexandrova.
- Australian Open breakthrough in 2026: Sonmez defeated No. 11 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the first round, becoming the first Turkish woman in the Open Era to win a main-draw match at the Australian Open. She eventually reached the third round, where she lost to Yulia Putintseva.
- Career-high ranking: Her results in 2026 pushed Sonmez to a career-best No. 48 in the world, further cementing her position as the leading figure in Turkish women’s tennis.
- Top 20 victories: Sonmez has collected important wins over highly ranked opponents, including her Australian Open victory against Alexandrova and a 2025 Beijing win over Clara Tauson, which the WTA identifies as her second Top 20 victory.
- 2026 progress continues: Sonmez has remained competitive throughout 2026, including a win over Daria Kasatkina in Cincinnati and a victory over Anastasia Potapova in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Her season record currently stands at 28-19.
