Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has withdrawn from qualifying for the Australian Open and will postpone the start of the 2025 season.
The 33-year-old has received wildcards to participate in the Australian Open and Auckland Classic qualifiers, which begin live on Monday. Sky Sports Tennis With Britain’s Emma Raducano among the names competing.
Halep will not compete for at least a month due to knee and shoulder pain after participating in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi earlier this month.
She plans to start her season at the Transylvania Open in early February.
She posted on social media: “After playing in Abu Dhabi, I unfortunately felt pain in my knees and shoulders again.”
“After a lengthy discussion with my team, we agreed that it made sense to postpone the start of my season.
“It’s not what I wanted, but I’d like to thank the tournament organizers in Auckland and Australia for the wild cards and I’m sorry I won’t be able to get them this time.”
Simona Halep was banned for four years but was later reduced to nine months in March following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Halep, whose four-year doping ban was reduced to nine months, last competed in the WTA tournament in October in Hong Kong.
She was runner-up at the Australian Open in 2018 and won major titles at the French Open later that year and at Wimbledon in 2019.
Halep is currently ranked 877th in the world, and has not participated in any major tournament since 2022 due to the doping case.
Watch the 2025 ATP and WTA Tours, including the US Open, live on Sky Sports. Stream Sky Sports now – no contract, cancel anytime
https://e0.365dm.com/24/11/1600×900/skysports-simona-halep-tennis_6760870.jpg?20241129153524