Simona Halep gets a slot at an Australian Open qualifying event, while Stan Wawrinka earned a wild-card shot in the main draw.
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HALEP GETS AUSTRALIA OPEN QUALIFYING EVENT WILD-CARD BERTH
Halep gets a wild-card berth for an Australia Open qualifying event amid a doping ban slapped on her that’s on appeal this year.
Furthermore, the former world No.1 was banned for four years before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) successfully appeled.
The CAS saw the punishment cut to just four months.
Moreover, the 33-year-old insisted that she did not take the banned drug roxadustat.
Halep would return to play again in March and at the WTA Tour in Hong Kong in October.
However, she lost in the first round.
“The Australian Open has provided me with some of the best moments in my career,” Halep said.
“So I can’t wait to be back in Melbourne and playing in front of the Aussie fans,” she added.
WAWRINKA EARNS WILD-CARD SHOT IN MEN’S SINGLES DRAW IN MELBOURNE
Moreover, Wawrinka earned a wild-card shot in the men’s singles draw in Melbourne/.
Furthermore, the Swiss star is one of nine players who given the slots among the main draw as play starts on January 12.
He joins Australians Tristan Schoolkate, Li Tu, James McCabe, Daria Saville, Ajla Tomljanovic, Emerson Jones, Talia Gibson, and Maya Joint.
The 39-year-old Wawrinka won the Australia Open in 2014 by beating recently retired Rafael Nadal in the final.
He peaked as world No.3 before adding the 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open as his other major titles.
SWISS STAR ‘INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL’ TO BE AWARDED WILD CARD IN MELBOURNE
Furthermore, the Swiss star compatriot of retired legend Roger Federer is “incredibly grateful of getting a chance to play in Melbourne again.
Moreover, Wawrinlka is looking forward to play for the sixth time next year after last playing in Melbourne in 2020.
“I’m incredibly grateful to receive a wild-card into the Australian Open in 2025,” Wawrinka said.
“Melbourne holds so much place in my heart… one of the greatest milestones of my career,” he added.
Meanwhile, Cruz Hewitt, son of retired Aussie tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt, also joins Halep in getting a wild-card slot for the qualifying event.
