Halep gets wildcard for Australian Open qualifying event

Former world number one Simona Halep, whose career stalled due to a doping ban that was reduced on appeal this year, will step up her comeback at the Australian Open after receiving a wildcard for the qualifying tournament on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old was provisionally suspended in October 2022 and later banned for four years, a period which was cut to nine months in March following an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Halep, who has denied knowingly taking the banned drug roxadustat, returned to action in Miami in March and last competed on the WTA Tour in Hong Kong, where she lost in the first round in October.

The 2018 Australian Open runner-up said she was excited to return to the country after three years.

"I have been working hard to get ready for the 2025 season," said Halep, a former French Open and Wimbledon champion who is currently ranked number 877 in the world.

"The Australian Open has provided me with some of the best moments in my career, so I can't wait to be back in Melbourne and playing in front of the Aussie fans."

Meanwhile, Australian Cruz Hewitt will look to emulate his father Lleyton by making his Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open after organisers handed the 16-year-old a wildcard for the qualifying event that precedes the Jan. 12-26 major.

The senior Hewitt, a two-times Grand Slam singles champion who also reached number one in the world rankings, made his major debut as a 15-year-old at Melbourne Park in 1997 after an inspired run in the qualifying rounds.