Tennis star Halep gets a chance to participate in the Australian Open with a wild card after a doping suspension

Romanian tennis star Simona Halep can return to the highest stage in early January. After her doping suspension, she receives a wild card for the Australian Open qualifying tournament.

The former world number one was banned for four years in 2023 after violating doping rules twice in 2022. That suspension was later shortened to nine months by the sports tribunal CAS. This allowed the 33-year-old Romanian to play matches again this year.

Her return was not so successful. Halep played five games and won only one. She played her last grand slam in 2022. That was the US Open. Now she gets the chance to play at a grand slam again as number 877 in the world with a wild card. To do this, she must survive the qualifying tournament.

Halep has won Wimbledon and Roland Garros in the past, but was never able to win in Melbourne. She did reach the final there in 2018.

Earlier this month, the organization of the Australian Open announced that Nick Kyrgios will participate in the Australian Open in January.

The 29-year-old colorful Australian has suffered from knee, foot and wrist injuries in recent years and was unable to play for a long time. The Australian Open will also be the first Grand Slam tournament for him since the 2022 US Open.

The Australian Open is the first grand slam of the new year. The tournament starts on January 12.