MELBOURNE, Australia — In a surprising turn of events, two-time Grand Slam victor Simona Halep has decided to withdraw from the Australian Open qualifying rounds and a preparatory tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, due to persistent discomfort in her knee and shoulder. This marks yet another hurdle in her ongoing journey back to top form following a drug suspension.
Taking to social media, Halep expressed her struggles after participating in an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi, indicating that her health has taken a toll.
“After extensive discussions with my team, we’ve concluded that it’s best for me to postpone the start of my season,” Halep stated. “This isn’t the path I envisioned for myself.”
The 33-year-old Romanian talent is now shifting her focus towards the Transylvania Open, set to take place in her homeland starting February 3.
Just last week, Halep received a wild-card invitation for the qualifying rounds at the Australian Open. She has previously dazzled spectators at Melbourne Park, finishing as a runner-up in 2018, and secured her prestigious major titles at the French Open later that year, as well as at Wimbledon in 2019. Once ranked among the best, reaching No. 1, she now finds herself at 877th place and has not competed in any Grand Slam events since 2022, following a lengthy hiatus stemming from a doping controversy.
With Australian Open qualifying set to kick off on January 6 and the main draw commencing on January 12, fans of Halep and tennis worldwide eagerly await updates on her recovery and future matches.
