Former world No. 1 Simona Halep is poised to make her long-awaited return to competitive tennis at the WTA 125-level tournament in Hong Kong, commencing on Monday. The two-time Grand Slam champion has received a wild card to participate in her first event in four months, and only her third since being cleared to resume playing following a protracted challenge to a 2022 anti-doping rules violation.
Halep, who tested positive for the banned substance roxadustat after the 2022 US Open and was subsequently sanctioned for abnormalities in her biological passport, has played just two matches since her return to tennis was approved with immediate effect in March, after her four-year ban was reduced to nine months.
She suffered a first-round defeat to Paula Badosa in three sets at the Miami Open and retired due to a left knee injury against American McCartney Kessler at the WTA 125 in Paris in May, having won the opening set. The injury has kept her out of competitive action since then.
In her quest for her first victory since her return, Halep will face Australia’s Arina Rodionova in the first round. WTA 125 events are a tier below tour-level tournaments, comparable to ATP Challenger events. World No. 8 Emma Navarro, who lost in the second round of the China Open this week, has also received a wild card to the tournament.
World No. 56 Clara Burel of France is seeded No. 2 in a draw that also includes three-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist Ajla Tomljanovic, former world No. 33 Clara Tauson, and Americans Kessler, Hailey Baptiste, Emina Bektas, and Alycia Parks.
Halep’s return to action is a significant moment for the tennis world. The Romanian star has been one of the most dominant players on the WTA Tour in recent years, winning two Grand Slam titles (French Open 2018 and Wimbledon 2019) and reaching the world No. 1 ranking in 2017 and 2019. Her absence from the sport has been keenly felt, and her return is eagerly anticipated by fans and fellow players alike.
