Serena Williams will make her first competitive appearance since becoming a mother at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships, tournament organisers have confirmed.
Williams has not played since winning a record 23rd grand slam singles title at the Australian Open in January.
She gave birth to a daughter, Alexis, in September but is now ready to make her comeback, and will take on surprise French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko at the invitational event in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
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“I am delighted to be returning to the court in Abu Dhabi for the first time since the birth of my daughter in September,” Williams said in a statement.
“The Mubadala World Tennis Championship has long marked the beginning of the men’s global tennis season and I am excited and honoured to be making my comeback as part of the first women to participate in the event.
{{/usCountry}}“The Mubadala World Tennis Championship has long marked the beginning of the men’s global tennis season and I am excited and honoured to be making my comeback as part of the first women to participate in the event.
{{/usCountry}}“I look forward to seeing the fans in Abu Dhabi at the 10th edition of the championship very soon.”
For Williams, the event is expected to serve as the first of a series of warm-up tournaments as she prepares to try to defend her Australian Open crown at Melbourne Park next month.