Halep gets wild-card entry to Madrid Open

MADRID (AP) — Simona Halep has received a wild-card entry to the main draw of the Madrid Open, which will be the two-time Grand Slam champion's second tournament since getting her doping suspension reduced on appeal.

Organizers of the clay-court tournament also handed a wild card to another former No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki, on Wednesday, along with veteran Kei Nishikori and 18-year-old Martin Landaluce on the men's side.

Halep, the Madrid champion in 2016 and 2017, returned to professional tennis last month at the Miami Open and lost to Paula Badosa 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the first round. That was her first match in about 1 1/2 years.

Halep's four-year doping ban that was handed down in 2023 was cut to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in early March.

"Muchas gracias (Madrid Open) for this wild card opportunity. Madrid has always been a special tournament for me, with happy memories and I'm grateful to be able to make more. See you soon," the 32-year-old Romanian wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The tournament starts April 23.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis