Simona Halep, the former world No. 1, will continue her comeback from a doping ban at the Australian Open, after receiving a wild card for the upcoming qualifying event. The 33-year-old Romanian, who was handed a provisional suspension in October 2022 and later banned for four years. Had her suspension reduced to nine months in March following a successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Halep, who has consistently denied knowingly taking the banned substance roxadustat, returned to competitive tennis in March at the Miami Open. She last competed on the WTA Tour in October at the Hong Kong Open, where she lost in the first round. Currently ranked 877th in the world, Halep is aiming to rebuild her career and regain her place at the top of the sport.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Australian Cruz Hewitt, the son of two-time Grand Slam singles champion Lleyton Hewitt, has also received a wild card for the Australian Open qualifying rounds. Cruz will look to follow in his father’s footsteps, with the ambition of making his Grand Slam debut in Melbourne. Lleyton, a former world No. 1, made his own major debut as a 15-year-old at the 1997 Australian Open, following an impressive qualifying run.
Both players aim to make a strong impact at the Australian Open, which begins on January 12, 2024.
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