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DPA/Reuters
MELBOURNE
Serena Williams and Andy Murray will return to the Australian Open next month, the tournament confirmed on Wednesday as it announced that the world’s top 102 women and top 101 men are set to compete.
Britain’s Murray has been struggling to recover from a hip injury and skipped this year’s contest, but has entered using his protected ranking.
Williams also missed the 2018 tournament after giving birth to her first child. The seven-time champion, who last won the Grand Slam while eight-weeks pregnant in 2017, has had a rocky return to the game this year.
World number ones Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep head up the men’s and women’s fields respectively while Roger Federer and Caroline
Wozniacki will return to defend their titles.
Serena will resume her quest for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title at the tournament she won for a seventh time on her last appearance in 2017.
The 37-year-old American achieved her victory over sister Venus in the final two years ago while eight weeks pregnant with her daughter Alexis Olympia, who was born the following September.
Williams reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals after her return last year but lost both, leaving her one short of Australian Margaret Court’s tally of Grand Slam singles titles.
Her final match last season was the final at Flushing Meadow, where her loss to Naomi Osaka was overshadowed by her row with umpire Carlos Ramos.
Williams is scheduled to play an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi in the final week of the year before heading to Australia to warm-up for her assault on the Melbourne Park title at the Hopman Cup in Perth.
Reigning champion Roger Federer will be gunning for a record seventh men’s single crown from Jan. 14-27, while Caroline Wozniacki will embark on her maiden grand slam title defence at Melbourne Park.
MELBOURNE
Serena Williams and Andy Murray will return to the Australian Open next month, the tournament confirmed on Wednesday as it announced that the world’s top 102 women and top 101 men are set to compete.
Britain’s Murray has been struggling to recover from a hip injury and skipped this year’s contest, but has entered using his protected ranking.
Williams also missed the 2018 tournament after giving birth to her first child. The seven-time champion, who last won the Grand Slam while eight-weeks pregnant in 2017, has had a rocky return to the game this year.
World number ones Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep head up the men’s and women’s fields respectively while Roger Federer and Caroline
Wozniacki will return to defend their titles.
Serena will resume her quest for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title at the tournament she won for a seventh time on her last appearance in 2017.
The 37-year-old American achieved her victory over sister Venus in the final two years ago while eight weeks pregnant with her daughter Alexis Olympia, who was born the following September.
Williams reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals after her return last year but lost both, leaving her one short of Australian Margaret Court’s tally of Grand Slam singles titles.
Her final match last season was the final at Flushing Meadow, where her loss to Naomi Osaka was overshadowed by her row with umpire Carlos Ramos.
Williams is scheduled to play an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi in the final week of the year before heading to Australia to warm-up for her assault on the Melbourne Park title at the Hopman Cup in Perth.
Reigning champion Roger Federer will be gunning for a record seventh men’s single crown from Jan. 14-27, while Caroline Wozniacki will embark on her maiden grand slam title defence at Melbourne Park.
