Zheng Qinwen was officially announced as Turkish Airlines' global ambassador, but one day later, Turkey's top female player declared the end of their partnership.

After making history for Turkey on the court, Sonez has now chosen to move forward independently. As Turkey's leading female singles player, Sonez announced on Friday through social media her decision to end the sponsorship agreement with Turkish Airlines.

Sonez wrote: "After talks regarding sponsorship arrangements for the 2026 season, my partnership with Turkish Airlines will come to an end. It was a great honor to represent Turkish Airlines at the opening events of the 2026 season, including the Australian Open Grand Slam, the Mubadala Abu Dhabi tournament, and the Qatar Open. Both on and off the court, I have always approached this responsibility with the same seriousness and respect."

“I sincerely thank Turkish Airlines for their trust and support throughout our partnership. I also want to express my gratitude to all Turkish Airlines employees for their professionalism and ongoing encouragement.”

The timing of this announcement attracted public attention as it came shortly after Sonez’s breakthrough performances in the 2025 season. The 23-year-old became the first Turkish player to reach the third round of a Grand Slam at Wimbledon 2025; she then repeated this feat as a qualifier at this year’s Australian Open.

Additionally, she played a crucial role in Turkey’s first-ever Billie Jean King Cup playoff, helping the team upset Germany. Sonez broke into the world’s top 70 for the first time last year and reached a career-high ranking of No. 69 in October 2025. Currently, no other Turkish player, male or female, ranks within the top 300 in either WTA or ATP standings.

The announcement also came less than a week after Turkish Airlines revealed another major tennis partnership. On February 6, Turkish Airlines officially named Zheng Qinwen as its new global brand ambassador.

As the airline with the most global destinations, Turkish Airlines stated that this collaboration is part of its broader strategy to expand influence in the Asia-Pacific region. Ahmet Olmustur, Turkish Airlines’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “This partnership reflects our commitment to connecting the world while supporting sporting excellence and cultural exchange as we continue to strengthen our presence in the Asia-Pacific.”

The 23-year-old Chinese player is one of the highest-earning female athletes in sports today, with sponsorships including Nike, Dior, Rolex, and Audi. According to Forbes, she earned approximately $21 million in endorsement income in 2025 alone.

Previously, Zheng underwent arthroscopic surgery on her elbow, causing her to miss the 2025 US Open and the 2026 Australian Open. However, this setback did not diminish her global influence. Zheng recently made her comeback in Doha, marking her third tournament since Wimbledon last year, where she reached the round of 16 before losing to Australian Open champion Lebakina.

Major airlines continue to increase their high-value investments in tennis. In January 2026, world No. 1 Sabalenka was appointed as Emirates Airlines’ first-ever tennis ambassador, with the partnership announced ahead of the 2026 Australian Open. Additionally, Djokovic became Qatar Airways’ global brand ambassador in 2024, while Raducanu partnered with British Airways following her 2021 US Open victory.