Halep to skip Australian Open 2025 due to injury concerns

DOHA: Former world number one Simona Halep has announced that she will delay her start to the 2025 season, opting out of the Australian Open and other early tournaments due to persistent pain in her knee and shoulder. The 33-year-old Romanian shared the update on Thursday, citing her health as the primary reason for her decision.

Halep, whose career was recently reignited after a doping ban was reduced on appeal, had received a wildcard for the Australian Open qualifying tournament last week. This would have marked her return to Melbourne, where she memorably finished as runner-up in 2018. She had also been scheduled to compete in the ASB Classic in Auckland as part of her season preparations.

However, Halep’s injury concerns took precedence after her most recent appearance at the World Tennis League exhibition event in Abu Dhabi. “It’s disappointing to miss the start of the season, but my priority is to fully recover and ensure I’m ready to compete at my best,” Halep said in a statement.(Reuters)