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Zeynep Sonmez Makes History, Aids Collapsed Ball Girl

1/18/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On January 18, 2026, Zeynep Sonmez, a Turkish tennis player, paused her first-round Australian Open match to help a ball girl who collapsed from the heat, guiding her to safety and medical attention.
She defeated the 11th seed, Ekaterina Alexandrova, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
The win makes her the first Turkish woman to reach the Australian Open's second round.

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Story summary

On January 18, 2026, Zeynep Sonmez, a Turkish tennis player, paused her first-round Australian Open match to help a ball girl who collapsed from the heat, guiding her to safety and medical attention.
She defeated the 11th seed, Ekaterina Alexandrova, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
The win makes her the first Turkish woman to reach the Australian Open's second round.