Sonmez storms to first WTA singles title of career in Merida

Zeynep Sonmez posted a big result for herself and her country of Turkey by winning her first Hologic WTA Tour singles title at the Merida Open Akron on Sunday.

The 22-year-old Sonmez hoisted her maiden trophy by cruising past Ann Li of the United States 6-2, 6-1 in the evening final. World No.127 Sonmez needed just 70 minutes to defeat 24-year-old Li, a former Top 50 player currently ranked No.111.

With the victory, Sonmez becomes the first Turkish player in over eight years to win a WTA singles title. Cagla Buyukakcay was the first Turkish WTA singles champion when she claimed the Istanbul title on home soil in 2016.

On the rise: The victory underlines Sonmez’s methodical rise up the WTA ranks over the past couple seasons. Sonmez had never cracked the Top 300 before 2023, but she is now edging closer to a potential Top 100 debut.

Sonmez made her Grand Slam main-draw debut at this year’s Roland Garros, and she became the first Turkish player to make a WTA quarterfinal since Buyukakcay in 2017 when she reached the elite eight in Monastir.

Busy Sunday: Both Sonmez and Li won their semifinal matches earlier on Sunday. Li completed a rain-delayed match by defeating Polina Kudermetova 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in the semifinals, winning four of the five games they contested on Sunday after resumption of play.

Sonmez won her Sunday semifinal over 17-year-old Alina Korneeva, coming back from 4-2 down in the first set to prevail 7-6(5), 6-2 and reach her first tour-level final.

But in the Sunday night final, Sonmez took control early and never let up. Sonmez slammed a volley winner to take a 4-2 lead and wrapped up the one-set advantage two games later.

In the second set, Sonmez broke Li’s serve three times in succession and never dropped serve, reeling off the last six games to collect the title. Sonmez won 23 of Li’s 40 first-service points in the match.

Doubles champions: The Merida Open Akron doubles title went to the No.1 seeds, Quinn Gleason of the United States and Ingrid Martins of Brazil.

Gleason and Martins won the title over unseeded Belgians Magali Kempen and Lara Salden 6-4, 6-4. The champions converted five of seven break points in the 91-minute final on Sunday.

It is the first WTA doubles title for 29-year-old Gleason, who was previously a doubles finalist at 2023 Prague. The 28-year-old Martins has now won two WTA career doubles titles; she previously paired with Lidziya Marozava to win the 2023 Bad Homburg title.