Marie Mahé, Media365, published on Wednesday December 18, 2024 at 1:20 p.m.
This Wednesday, the organizers of the Australian Open indicated that they had awarded an invitation for qualifying to Romanian Simona Halep.
The 2025 edition of the Australian Open continues to be revealed. This Wednesday, the organizers of the traditional first Grand Slam tournament of the year indicated that they had awarded an invitation to play in the qualifications to Romanian Simona Halep. The former world number 1 is trying to return to the highest level after serving a suspension for doping. Initially, the player was suspended for a period of four years, until 2026, due to a positive test suffered during the 2022 edition of the US Open and for an anomaly on her biological passport. . Last March, his suspension was reduced to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). This is what allowed him to immediately make his return to the courts, from the last edition of the Miami tournament. At the Australian Open, the Romanian has already had the opportunity to shine in the past. In total, Simona Halep has taken part in this first Grand Slam tournament of the season twelve times, with, as her best result, a final played during the 2018 edition.
Halep has not played the Australian Open since 2022
This year, it was Danish Caroline Wozniacki who won the title. Now aged 32, Halep now occupies 887th place in the world in the WTA rankings. A position which would not have allowed him, without this wild card, to compete in the qualifications for the Australian Open. Following this announcement concerning her invitation, the Romanian reacted, in comments reported by theAFP : “I can’t wait to come back to Australia after three years away.” Simona Halep has not set foot in Melbourne since 2022. During this edition, her adventure ended at the round of 16 stage, against the Frenchwoman Alizé Cornet. The qualifications will take place between January 6 and 9, before the start of the tournament scheduled for the 12th.
