MELBOURNE, Australia — Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep pulled out of Australian Open qualifying and a tuneup tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, because of pain in her knee and shoulder, the latest interruption of her comeback from a drug suspension.
Halep of Romania posted on social media that she was feeling poorly after participating 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,” Halep wrote according to AP. “It’s not what I wanted.”
The 33-year-old Romanian said she is planning to next enter the Transylvania Open in her home country, where play begins Feb. 3.
Last week, Halep was granted a wild-card entry for qualifying in the Australian Open.
The Australian Open will begin on Jan. 12.
She was the runner-up at Melbourne Park in 2018 and won major titles at the French Open later that year and at Wimbledon in 2019.
She has been ranked as high as No. 1 but is currently 877th and hasn´t played at any Grand Slam tournament since 2022 after missing all tournaments for 1 1/2 years because of a doping case.
Australian Open qualifying starts on Jan. 6, and the main draw begins on Jan. 12.
World number three Coco Gauff said on Friday she decided to start her season at the United Cup instead of her happy hunting ground in Auckland as the event offers a higher level of competition and the chance to play as part of a team again.
The 20-year-old, who won the last two Australian Open tune-up tournaments in Auckland, is part of the US team at the Dec. 27-Jan. 5 United Cup in Perth and Sydney.
“I love Auckland. I won twice there. It was a great tournament,” the 2023 US Open champion said according to Reuters.
“For me I wanted to play a higher level of competition and also a team competition. I had a lot of fun with the Paris Olympics. The season’s already so much by ourselves that it’s nice to mix it up.
“I think for all of us the main focus is Australian Open and doing well there.”
The US start their campaign in the $10 million mixed team event in Perth against Canada on Sunday, before facing Croatia on Dec. 31.
Thanasi Kokkinakis and Ajla Tomljanovic have both withdrawn from the Brisbane International as they target being fit for the Australian Open next month.
World No.77 Kokkinakis confirmed his absence from the Brisbane tournament, which starts on Sunday, on social media.
“Sad to miss the Brisbane International this year,” Kokkinakis wrote.
“Dealing with a small hip issue that needs some more time, but hopefully back for the rest of the summer.”
If Kokkinakis recovers, his first tournament of his Australian summer campaign would be the Adelaide International which begins on January 6.
The 28-year-old South Australian won his home tournament in 2022, his first ATP title win.
The Australian Open begins in Melbourne on January 12. Tomljanovic is hopeful of recovering from a left knee injury in time for the first grand slam of the year but the world No.109 will miss both the Brisbane International and Hobart International in the lead-up.
“I’m so disappointed to withdraw from the Brisbane International but I wanted to be 100 per cent ready to compete, which I am not,” Tomljanovic said on Instagram.
“I’ll continue my prep and see you all at the Australian Open.”
Tomljanovic missed this year’s Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon due to her knee injury.
The 31-year-old’s last appearance on the WTA Tour was at the Merida Open in Mexico in October.
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