Simona Halep, on comeback trail, pulls out of Australian Open

Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep withdrew from qualifying for the Australian Open, citing knee and shoulder pain.

Halep announced Thursday via Instagram that she also won't compete in the ASB Classic in Auckland, a tune-up for the Australian Open that begins next week. Halep said she began feeling discomfort after playing in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.

"... After discussing with my team at length, we agreed it is sensible to delay the start of my season," the 33-year-old Romanian wrote. "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 added she is targeting her return to play in front of the home fans in Romania at the Transylvania Open in Clug-Napoca, which is scheduled to begin Feb. 3.

Halep is attempting to restart her career after being slapped with a four-year doping ban that led to her suspension in October 2022. The ban was reduced in February 2024 to nine months, and because her time away from the game exceeded that, she was eligible to return to the WTA Tour immediately.

She played a limited schedule in 2024, finishing 1-4 in her matches.

Halep won the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019. She reached World No. 1 on Oct. 9, 2017, but currently is ranked No. 877.

She owns 24 singles titles.

--Field Level Media