Çağla Büyükakçay
A Turkish tennis trailblazer who made history by winning her nation's first-ever WTA title on home soil in Istanbul.
Born 1989 (age 37)·Turkish tennis player·Birthday: September 28·Millennials
Biography
Çağla Büyükakçay became the first Turkish woman to win a WTA Tour title, defeating higher-ranked opponents as a wildcard at the 2016 Istanbul Cup. Born in 1989, she had spent years as her country's top-ranked female player, grinding through qualifying rounds and ITF events. Her straight-sets victory in the final before a home crowd marked a national milestone. Büyükakçay also represented Turkey in Fed Cup and reached a career-high top-100 ranking. Injuries later challenged her, but her career remains defined by that singular week in Istanbul that proved what was possible for athletes from her country.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Çağla was born in 1989, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Çağla Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Çağla's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1989Born
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Started school
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2002Became a teenager
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Could drive
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2007Could vote
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Turned 21
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2019Turned 30
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 37 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first Turkish woman to win a WTA Tour title by capturing the 2016 Istanbul Cup.
- Achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 82 in 2017.
- Won nine singles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit.
- Has represented Turkey in Fed Cup (Billie Jean King Cup) competition since 2009, playing both singles and doubles.
Did You Know?
She started playing tennis at age six.
She is a fan of the football club Galatasaray S.K.
She was awarded the 'Breakthrough of the Year' honor at the 2016 WTA Awards.
She is fluent in Turkish, English, and Spanish.
“I won the first WTA title for Turkey, and that's a huge step for Turkish tennis.”
