Simona Halep: Two-time Grand Slam champion withdraws from Australian Open and delays her start of 2025 tennis season
Simona Halep has delayed the start of her 2025 season; Halep has not competed at a Grand Slam since 2022 after being given a four-year doping ban that was reduced to nine months; watch Emma Raducanu at the Auckland Classic which begins on Monday live on Sky Sports Tennis
Sunday 29 December 2024 12:40, UK
Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has pulled out of qualifying for the Australian Open and will delay the start of her 2025 season.
The 33-year-old received wild cards for Australian Open qualifying and the Auckland Classic, which begins on Monday live on Sky Sports Tennis with Britain's Emma Raducanu among the names competing.
Halep will not compete for at least a month due to knee and shoulder pain after playing in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi earlier this month.
She is planning to begin her season at the Transylvania Open in early February.
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"After playing in Abu Dhabi, unfortunately I felt pain in my knee and shoulder once again," she posted on social media.
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"After discussing with my team at length, we agreed it is sensible to delay the start of my season.
"It's not what I wanted but I would like to thank the tournament organisers in Auckland and Australia for the wild cards and I'm sorry I won't be able to take them this time."
Halep, who was given a four-year doping ban that was reduced to nine months, last competed on the WTA Tour in October in Hong Kong.
She was the runner-up at the Australian Open in 2018 and won major titles at the French Open later that year and at Wimbledon in 2019.
Halep is currently ranked 877th in the world, having not played at a Grand Slam since 2022 due to her doping case.
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