The Romanian Simona Halepformer world number 1 and who is trying to return to the elite of the circuit after serving a doping sanction, has received an invitation to participate in the qualifying phase of the next Australian Open.
Finalist in Melbourne in 2018, Halep has not played the first major of the course for three years. In October 2022 he tested positive in an anti-doping test which led to a four-year sanction, later reduced by the CAS to nine months. He competed again in March of this year, with only one victory since then. She is ranked 877 in the WTA rankings.
“The idea of returning to Australia after three years is exciting and I am very grateful to the tournament for this opportunity. I have been working hard to prepare for the 2025 season. “The Australian Open has given me some of the best moments of my career, so I can’t wait to get back to Melbourne and play in front of the Australian fans,” Halep said.
The list of participants in the preliminary phase is opened by the American Alycia Parks, 78th in the world, and in it featuring the Spanish Nuria Párrizas, Sara Sorribes, Rebeka Masarova, Leyre Romero, Aliona Bolsova, Guiomar Maristany, Marina Bassols e Irene Burillo.
On the men’s list, among the guests is Cruz Hewitt. He is the son of Lleyton Hewitt, former number one and winner of two ‘greats’ and who 27 years ago played his first Australian Open thanks also to a pass to the qualifying phase. Cruz is 16 years old, while his father received that wild card when he was 15.
The Argentine Federico Coria (100 ATP) is the best among those registered in the qualifiers for the first Grand Slam of 2025, in which the Spanish will fight to enter the main draw Martín Landaluce, Alejandro Moro, Carlos Taberner and Oriol Roca.
They are also Wimbledon 2023 quarterfinalist Christopher Eubanksformer world number 21 Dan Evans and a pair of former world number 17: Cristian Garin y Bernard Tomic.
The preliminary phase will be held from January 6 to 9 and will give tickets to the tournament to 16 men and 16 women.