Turkish number one Zeynep Sonmez and Turkish Airlines partnership comes to a halt amid Zheng Qinwen joining their ranks

Zeynep Sonmez has caught the eye of many this year, putting Turkey on the tennis map with some very positive showings. However, it seems that the fate will not be repaid by with her and Turkish Airlines ending their partnership.

It comes as a bizarre decision on the outside with Sonmez starting to make an impact on the court. The 23-year-old became the first Turkish player to reach a third round in a Grand Slam event, completing the feat at Wimbledon in 2025 before doing it again most recently at the 2026 Australian open where she fell to the hands of Yulia Putintseva.

She is also a WTA title holder, winning the 2024 Merida Open against Ann Li in convincing fashion while being a hugely crucial part of the Turkey Billie Jean King Cup squad, leading them to the playoffs for the first time with a hugely impressive upset win over Germany. She is the only player representing Turkey to feature in the top 100, having reached a career high of 69th in the world. Now sitting in 84th, her closest rival from her country sits in 304th in the world.

However, this is not enough for Turkish Airlines to continue her with Turkish Airlines. The news was unveiled by a statement on Sonmez's Instagram.

“Following sponsorship discussions regarding the 2026 season, the sponsorship relationship with Turkish Airlines will not continue,” Sonmez wrote. “I was honoured to represent Turkey's national flag carrier, Turkish Airlines, at the opening tournaments of 2026, including the Australian Open Grand Slam, the Mubadala Abu Dhabi and the Qatar Open event. I carried this responsibility with the same seriousness and respect at all times, both on and off the court.

"I would like to sincerely thank Turkish Airlines for the trust they placed in me and for their support throughout our journey together. I also extend my gratitude to all Turkish Airlines employees, both in the air and on the ground, for their professionalism and continued support.”

The face of Turkish Airlines has now been passed over to Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen. The Chinese tennis player became an ambassador around a week ago with the Turkish Airlines utilising her as they look for a broader presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

“As we continue to strengthen our presence across the Asia-Pacific region," Turkish Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Ahmet Olmuştur stated. "This partnership reflects our commitment to connecting the region with the world while supporting excellence in sport and cultural exchange.”

It comes as a no brainer that Zheng is tasked for this role with her one of the highest paid female tennis players on the planet. According to Forbes, she earned an estimated $21 million in endorsements in 2025. This is thanks to sponsors such as Nike, Dior, Rolex and Audi.

Zheng is also a recognisable presence on court. Aside from winning the gold medal in the 2024 Olympics, she has reached an Australian final earlier that year as well as making it all the way to the WTA Finals, losing out to Coco Gauff.

Her progress has been halted in recent times with an elbow injury playing havoc. She missed the US Open before a failed return to the court in the China Open forced her to miss more months of action, returning most recently at the Qatar Open, reaching the third round before coming unstuck against the world number three Elena Rybakina.

Both Zheng and Sonmez will be present in the UAE for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, starting on February 15. Sonmez will take on Sara Bejlek in her opening round match with Zheng coming up against Peyton Stearns.