"When things got a bit overwhelming, I called her and we talked for about an hour" - Zeynep Sonmez open up on relationship with Ons Jabeur

The rise up the WTA rankings has not been a straightforward one for Zeynep Sonmez. She has the weight of a country to live up to as she searches for more positive results and progression. When speaking to Kim Clijsters on the Love All podcast, she opened up on her positive relationship with former world number two Ons Jabeur.

Apparently, Sonmez was a big fan of the four-time Grand Slam champion. "I’m very excited to be here and talk to you," she began off saying. "As you can imagine, I grew up watching you. I watched you a lot and I was a big fan — I’m still a big fan. So I’m very happy to be here."

Straight from her defence of the Merida Open, Sonmez flew straight over to California to compete in her maiden Indian Wells main draw after a successful qualifying run.

Overall, it was very enjoyable, despite a late change of plan. "Indian Wells was great. I flew there from Mérida Open Akron, where I had been playing the week before. Actually, going to Mérida wasn’t originally part of the plan. My coach suggested maybe I shouldn’t go and that we should practise instead. But I really wanted to go because I love playing there."

Her lack of knowledge of the rules almost saw her not able to compete in Mexico. "I was in qualifying and didn’t realise you can only get three wild cards per year — I had already used all three in the Middle East swing. I was about 15 spots out of qualifying, and then one night I suddenly became first on the list. I told my team, “Guys, I really want to go. I love playing there.” So we went — and it turned out great. I reached the quarterfinals and then travelled to Indian Wells."

A first-round win over McCartney Kessler was followed by a narrow defeat to Anna Kalinskaya. "I like the conditions there. The courts aren’t super fast, but the balls aren’t as bouncy as they were in Mérida. I played two good matches there — first against McCartney Kessler, which was a tight first set, and then against Anna Kalinskaya. I had some chances. Overall, my team and I were happy with the tennis I played."

To have a two-time Grand Slam finalist offering you advice is a great thing to have so early in your career. This is the situation Sonmez has with Jabeur always available for a chat or to offer some advice.

"We don’t speak every day, but sometimes when I’m struggling or I don’t know what to do, I call her. For example, when things got a bit overwhelming, I called her and we talked for about an hour. She helped me a lot."

This link-up has come from now being coached by Jabeur's former mentor Issam Jellali. She has credited her team for helping her get through some tough times when on tour, especially when a drop off in the rankings made her doubt herself on the court.

"Last year I dropped out of the top 100 and I started doubting myself. In Turkish media there were questions like, 'Was it just luck?' That kind of thing can get into your head. My team helped me realise that I had already achieved it once, and that getting back into the top 100 shouldn’t even be the goal. The focus should just be improving and doing my best."

To deal with this, she is also taking steps to be more gentler with herself. "I think many people are hard on themselves," she admitted. "For me, I try to remind myself that this is my life. When I stop playing tennis one day, I won’t think about what someone wrote on social media or what someone said in the media."

She is ignoring the noise and focusing on the positive aspects on and off court. "People will always talk. If you win, they say amazing things; if you lose, they say bad things. Sometimes it’s even the same people doing both. So now I focus more on myself and on the people around me who support me. I want to give my best for them and for myself — not for strangers online. And also, tennis careers are not that long. I don’t want to finish my career and regret that I didn’t give everything."

After her rise through the ranks, she is now very well-known in Turkey who have not had the best of fortune in developing talented tennis players. It is a country that she loves to represent on the big stage and somewhere she can relax back at home.

"I love going home. I was born and raised in Istanbul and it’s an amazing city. Now sometimes when I go to the supermarket or walk around, people recognise me. That didn’t happen before, so it still feels a little strange — but in a nice way. I also love representing my country, especially in the Billie Jean King Cup. It means a lot to me. When young kids come up to me and say, “You’re my idol,” it feels incredible. Sometimes I think, Are you sure you mean me? But it’s a privilege to represent my country and make people proud."

The fame and support she has got from home has been due to a decent number of runs in big events. When asked for her biggest 'pinch-me' moment, she instantly went for the Wimbledon run last year, culminating at the third round in her best run in a major tournament.

Probably The Championships, Wimbledon last year," she answered. "When I played my third-round match, the court was so full that we couldn’t even enter for a while. I remember thinking, All these people are here to watch me play."

She even made history that week at the illustrious tournament. "After the match, they called me from the locker room and asked if they could take my match outfit for the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. I was shocked — I thought maybe I had done something wrong. But it was because I had become the first Turkish player to reach the third round of a Grand Slam."

To be playing in front of huge crowds with Turkish flags and supporters cheering her name is something that she will not get over quickly. "Most of the time it motivates me," she said. "I try to remind myself: You dreamed of playing on courts like this. Enjoy it. Even if it’s loud or intense, I just try to focus and give my best."

Another WTA tennis player who is getting a lot of support and attention is Alexandra Eala. Another tournament has come and gone with the Filipina enjoying a huge amount of support from the crowd as well as making an impression on the court, reaching the last-16.

Sonmez recalled why she was such a tricky player to face. "She plays very close to the baseline and very aggressively. And because she’s left-handed, she can open the court with angles very well. She hits the ball very flat and very fast, so it feels like you have less time. Sometimes that makes you rush your shots."

While she can finish you off quickly, the 20-year-old is also a great practice partner for Sonmez. "Against her you really have to neutralise the rallies and keep the ball deep, otherwise she can open up the court and finish points quickly. But she’s also great to practise with because you get a good rhythm during rallies."