Turkish tennis player uses watermelon shock absorber after Palestine flag banned

WIMBLEDON, July 04 (YPA) – Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sönmez used vibration dampener shaped like watermelon on her racket during the Wimbledon Championships after she was prevented from wearing a badge in support of Palestine, according to media reports.

Wimbledon’s tournament director Jamie Baker has said the watermelon symbol often used to represent the colours of the Palestinian flag does not meet the “threshold” for causing disruption, after a Turkish player stuck a vibration dampener in the shape of the fruit on her racket.

Turkey’s state news agency quoted Sönmez as saying: I used to wear a pin. Tournaments no longer allow me to wear it. We had a discussion with the organizers because the Ukrainian flag is allowed but the Palestinian is not.”

“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,” she added.

Watermelon is grown in Palestine and shares the same colours as the Palestinian flag – red, green, white and black. It is considered a symbol of resistance against Israeli oppression and occupation.

@E.Y.M