Halep “very excited” after getting wildcard into Oeiras Ladies Open

Simona Halep continues her return to the WTA Tour after more than a year away from the game due to a doping ban. With her successful appeal and reduction of the ban, she played her first tournament since 2022 in Madrid last month.

Now, it has been announced that the Oeiras Ladies Open, a WTA 125 event taking place next week and the first WTA Tour tournament in Portugal since 2014, has handed the Romanian a wildcard.

“I’m very excited to add a new tournament to my calendar,” Halep said recently in an interview with local Portuguese media. “On my return to the WTA circuit I intend to play as many matches as possible and accepting this wild card gives me the opportunity to do so in front of the Portuguese public.

“I want to thank the tournament for having me and I can’t wait to be there.”

It’s uncertain how much of the upcoming European clay court swing Halep will play, given her current ranking of No 1144 in the world. The extent to which the former No 1 is able to compete will pivot around tournaments continuing to give her wildcards, as the Oeiras Ladies Open has next week. 

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