Former world no.1 and two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been given a wild card entry on Wednesday for the Australian Open 2025 qualifying, starting on January 12. Among other wild card entrants is also Cruz Hewitt, who is the son for another former top-ranked player Lleyton Hewitt.

The 33-year-old Halep was a runner-up in the 2018 Australian Open. Her two Grand Slams came at 2018 French Open and Wimbledon 2019. working her way from drug suspension, Halep, currently ranked 877th, hasn’t played a single tournament since 2022.

Halep was suspended for four years back in 2022 but the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced it to nine months in March 2024. The Romanian returned to court at the Miami Open earlier this year.

“I have been working hard to get ready for the 2025 season. 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,” said an excited Halep.

Her last WTA event before the Miami Open was 2022 Open where she crashed out in the opening round.

Who is Cruz Hewitt?

Meanwhile, Cruz is ranked outside the top 1,000. The 16-year-old entered the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time earlier this year, on September 9, and reached a career-high No. 1,245 in November. Cruz’s father has won two majors made his Australian Open debut in 1997 at age 15 via a qualifying wild card.

Lleyton, who retired in 2016, was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2021 and is currently Australia’s Davis Cup captain. Other men who got wild cards for the January 6-9 qualifying event include 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Chris Eubanks and former top 25 players Dan Evans and Bernard Tomic.

The women’s group includes Paris Olympics doubles gold medalist and 2012 French Open singles runner-up Sara Errani and top 20 players Petra Martic and Ana Konjuh.