The Australian Open doled out wildcards into its qualifying tournament on Wednesday, with some notable names as recepients.
The women’s wildcard that jumps off the page is Simona Halep, the former Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion whose comeback to tennis after a doping violation has been start-stop. Currently ranked 877th, the former No. 1 played just five matches in 2024, her only victory coming at the WTA 125 in Hong Kong, against Anna Blinkova. Before her return to the 2024 Miami Open, Halep’s last tournament was the 2022 US Open.
“The thought of returning to Australia after three years is exciting and I’m very grateful to the tournament for this opportunity. I have been working hard to get ready for the 2025 season,” said the 33-year-old. “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.”
Halep reached the Australian Open final in 2018, falling to Caroline Wozniacki, and she’s reached the quarterfinal round or better at Melbourne Park four other times.
