Serena ready to come back
A BU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES» Serena Williams is returning to competition with an exhibition match Saturday in Abu Dhabi against French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
Williams has not competed since winning the Australian Open last January while she was pregnant.
She will face Latvia’s Ostapenko at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in the first year that women will be taking part, tournament organizers announced Sunday.
“I am delighted to be returning to the court in Abu Dhabi for the first time since the birth of my daughter in September,” the 36-year-old Williams said in a statement.
Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, a record for the professional era. She is expected to compete for her 24th at the Australian Open, the first major of the year.
Williams gave birth to a girl named Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. on Sept. 1. She married Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian in November.
“The Mubadala World Tennis Championship has long marked the beginning of the men’s global tennis season and I am excited and honored to be making my comeback as part of the first women to participate in the event,” Williams said.
The Australian Open starts Jan. 15.
Azarenka withdraws.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZE ALAND» A continuing custody dispute has prevented two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka from resuming her tennis career at the ASB Classic in Auckland from Jan. 1.
Azarenka notified tournament organizers on Sunday that she will be unable to play the tournament for “personal reasons.”
The former world No. 1 has not played since Wimbledon in July because she cannot leave California until a dispute with her former partner over the custody of their son Leo is resolved.
Tournament director Karl Budge said “there is obviously a fair bit going on and unfortunately the result of that is that Victoria won’t be here next week. That’s a tough one for her. She’s been training hard and is a professional tennis player that wants to be playing tennis.”
Azarenka has been given a wild card into the Australian Open.