Nastase tackles the Australian Open over the Halep case: "A former Grand Slam champion should have a place in the main draw".

Ilie Nastase is always on the lookout to defend Romanian tennis. The former world number 1 gave an interview to local media Sport Pesurse.

On this occasion, the man who has won two Grand Slam titles spoke about Simona Halep.

The 33-year-old, who returned to the main circuit in March at the Miami Masters 1000 after being suspended for doping at the end of 2022, has fallen back beyond 800th place and will have to fight hard to regain a decent ranking.

Halep will be playing in Auckland, then in Melbourne for the Australian Open qualifiers.

The tournament organizers have invited her, and the Romanian will attempt to join the main draw at the beginning of January. Nastase, however, is not happy about this news.

"It's her first Grand Slam since her suspension, but she has to play. She mustn't think about the rankings, because they don't matter.

Simona has nothing to lose. A former Grand Slam champion should be in the main draw, not the qualifiers.

I think it's dubious that she's only got a wild card to play in the qualifiers. It doesn't make sense. I thought she was going to be invited to the main draw.

It's going to be difficult, because she's going to have to win several matches to get into the main draw. What the Australians have done is pretty ugly," said the 78-year-old indignantly.