Simona Halep will be eager to return to Grand Slam tennis with a bang after being handed a wildcard for the 2025 Australian Open.
Halep found her return to tennis difficult earlier this year, having taken part in the Miami Open after her nine-month drugs ban.
The Romanian, who is a two-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one, lost to Paula Badosa early on in the March event.
Halep currently occupies 877th place in the WTA rankings, having returned to the sport in 2024 with a 1-4 win-loss record.
But the 33-year-old will be looking to use all of her experience to enjoy a lengthy run at the Australian Open next month.
The Romanian is a 24-time WTA Tour-level champion, with her best result in Melbourne a runner-up spot in 2018.
READ MORE: The nine players receiving wildcards for the 2025 Australian Open have been confirmed including three-time Grand Slam winner
Halep has now shared her excitement about returning to the Australian Open, writing on X: “Can’t wait to be back.”
Halep has received a qualifying wildcard for the first Grand Slam of the season, meaning there will be a long and difficult journey to reach the main draw.
She does, however, know what it takes to reach the final of the tournament, having lost at that stage to Caroline Wozniacki in 2018.
READ MORE: Simona Halep explains what has really changed about tennis since Serena Williams stopped playing
The Romanian lost two French Open finals prior to that heartache, but did recover to win at Roland Garros and at Wimbledon.
She overcame Sloane Stephens in Paris in 2018, before a superb straight sets win over Serena Williams in London a year later.
Halep’s fellow veteran Stan Wawrinka has been handed an Australian Open wildcard, with the pair set to garner plenty of attention in Melbourne.
Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
Loss | 2014 | French Open | Clay | Maria Sharapova | 4–6, 7–6(7-5), 4–6 |
Loss | 2017 | French Open | Clay | Jelena Ostapenko | 6–4, 4–6, 3–6 |
Loss | 2018 | Australian Open | Hard | Caroline Wozniacki | 6–7(2-7), 6–3, 4–6 |
Win | 2018 | French Open | Clay | Sloane Stephens | 3–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
Win | 2019 | Wimbledon | Grass | Serena Williams | 6–2, 6–2 |
Related Posts