Simona Halep has been awarded a wildcard for next month's Australian Open qualifying rounds. (More Tennis News)
The former world number one returned to the WTA Tour earlier this year, after her four-year&n💝bsp;🐈ban for two separate doping offences was reduced to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
However, her comeback was hindered by a knee injury that l🔯imited her to just five tour🌸-level matches, with her most recent a first-round defeat in Hong Kong in October.
Halep, who mai🍰ntained her innocence following the charges, has fond memories of Melbourne Park, where she was runn🔜er-up to Caroline Wozniacki in 2018.
The two-time major winner - now ranked 877th in the WTA - was also a semi-finalist in 2020, while she has rea🌞ched a further three quarter-fina𒊎ls at the season's opening major.
"I have been working hard t🍨o get ready for the 2025 season,&quo💖t; the 33-year-old said.
"The Australian Open has provided me with some of the best moments in my career, so I can't wait to be back in Melbourne and playing in front of the Aussie fans.𝐆"
Halep will be joined in qualifying by Cruz Hewitt - son of another former world number one and two-time major champion in Lleyton Hewitt - with the 16-year-old set to make his Grand Slam debut, ♈having also been h𝔉anded a wildcard.
