Simona Halep's next WTA event will be in Oeiras, and she has reacted to the news about her participation in the tournament.
The two-time Grand Slam champion's return to tennis after having her ban for doping reduced has been one of the biggest topics in the sport in recent weeks. Halep made her comeback at the Miami Open, losing to Paula Badosa in three sets.
The 32-year-old was initially set to play her next match at the Billie Jean King Cup, representing Romania. But Halep elected to withdraw from the Billie Jean King Cup and focus her comeback on WTA events.
This means her next tournament is set to be the WTA 125 in Oeiras, an event Halep received a wildcard for. The prospect of a player of Halep's caliber appearing at a tournament of that size is very exciting for the fans there.
Halep has now spoken about her upcoming appearance in Oeiras, as reported by Jose Morgado on his X page. The 2019 Wimbledon champion had an optimistic tone in her words, sounding happy to compete again, wherever that may be.
"I'm very excited to add a new tournament to my calendar. 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 welcoming me and I can't wait to be there."
Halep's willingness to compete in Oeiras is an indication of what she will need to do to get her ranking back where she wants it to be. Despite having her ban reduced, Halep's ranking still suffered from the time her suspension remained official.
This means we are likely to see Halep at more smaller tournaments in the future, which is a fun prospect.
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