In a competitive first-round encounter, world No. 88 Zeynep Sönmez took on world No. 30 Maria Sakkari in a battle of resilience and momentum swings. Sakkari, by far the favorite on paper, aimed to assert her dominance early, but Sonmez had other plans, pushing the Greek star to the limit. What unfolded was a thrilling first set filled with service breaks, momentum shifts, and clutch points under pressure.
Set 1: Sönmez Outlasts Sakkari in a Break-Filled Opener
Sakkari started strong, holding her opening service game to take a 1-0 lead. She immediately capitalized on Sonmez’s shaky start, breaking serve to race ahead 2-0. However, Sonmez quickly responded, breaking back in a marathon game to get on the board at 1-2 before holding her own serve to level the set at 2-2.
The match turned into a break-fest, with neither player able to maintain control on serve. Sonmez broke again for a 3-2 lead, but Sakkari responded instantly, breaking back to tie it at 3-3. The Greek then held her serve in a lengthy game to move ahead 4-3, seemingly regaining her rhythm.
Sonmez refused to back down, holding comfortably for 4-4 before applying more pressure on Sakkari’s serve. The Turkish player broke again to edge ahead 5-4, putting herself in position to serve for the set. Yet, the pattern continued, with Sakkari breaking back for 5-5 in a moment of resilience. What was this?
Despite the setback, Turkey’s Sonmez dug deep and secured another break to lead 6-5, giving herself a second chance to serve out the set. This time, she held her nerve, closing the set 7-5 after a tense set that featured a total of 8 breaks of serve!
The question remained: could the Turkish lady maintain her level, or would Sakkari find a way to turn the match around?
Zeynep Sönmez Completes Stunning Upset Over Sakkari in Two Sets
Well, Zeynep Sonmez carried her momentum into the second, putting Maria Sakkari under immediate pressure. The Turkish player quickly turned the match in her favor with aggressive returning and relentless baseline play, leaving the Greek struggling to find solutions.
Sakkari started the set well, holding serve for 1-0, but Sonmez responded confidently with a hold of her own. The match took a decisive turn in the third game when Sonmez broke Sakkari’s serve after a hard-fought deuce battle, moving ahead 2-1. That break ignited a dominant stretch, as Sonmez held comfortably for 3-1 before breaking Sakkari again to surge ahead 4-1.
With Sakkari now fading, Sonmez remained composed, saving a break point in the next game to hold for 5-1. Sakkari managed to hold serve at 5-2, keeping her hopes alive for a very brief moment. However, Sonmez stepped up one final time, serving for the match at 6-2. Despite some tension, she held firm, converting her first match point on advantage to seal a 7-5, 6-2 victory.
This win marks one of the biggest upsets of the season for Zeynep Sönmez, knocking out the world No. 30 in impressive fashion.
Match Stats Zeynep Sönmez vs. Maria Sakkari, February 26 2025
| Category | Stat | Sonmez | Sakkari |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Stats | Dominance Ratio | 1.23 | 0.81 |
| Service | Serve Rating | 231 | 186 |
| Aces | 0 | 0 | |
| Double Faults | 4 | 5 | |
| 1st Serve % | 51% (33/65) | 57% (39/68) | |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 73% (24/33) | 49% (19/39) | |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 41% (13/32) | 45% (13/29) | |
| Break Points Saved | 50% (3/6) | 45% (5/11) | |
| Service Games Won | 70% (7/10) | 40% (4/10) | |
| Serve Frequency | Ace % | 0% | 0% |
| Double Fault % | 6.2% | 7.4% | |
| Return | Return Rating | 221 | 166 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 51% (20/39) | 27% (9/33) | |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 55% (16/29) | 59% (19/32) | |
| Break Points Won | 55% (6/11) | 50% (3/6) | |
| Return Games Won | 60% (6/10) | 30% (3/10) | |
| Points Won | Pressure Points | 53% (9/17) | 47% (8/17) |
| Service Points Won | 57% (37/65) | 47% (32/68) | |
| Return Points Won | 53% (36/68) | 43% (28/65) | |
| Total Points Won | 55% (73/133) | 45% (60/133) | |
| Match Points Saved | 0 | 1 | |
| Max Points in a Row | 6 | 6 | |
| Games Won | Service Games Won | 70% (7/10) | 40% (4/10) |
| Return Games Won | 60% (6/10) | 30% (3/10) | |
| Total Games Won | 65% (13/20) | 35% (7/20) | |
| Max Games in a Row | 5 | 2 | |
| Match Duration | 1h 43m |