After withdrawing from the Australian Open, Serena Williams will make her return to the court this week in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. She has taken an unexpected last minute wild-card entry into the draw. The tournament features a strong field including seven of the top ten ranked women in the world. This will be Serena’s first appearance in the tournament since 2009. Serena will also be playing in the women’s doubles tournament, with her sister Venus. The team is making a rare team appearance in a non-grand slam event.
Serena Williams To Play in Dubai
The Dubai tournament remains one of the few big WTA titles Serena has never won. She has made the semifinals in her two attempts, in 2005 and 2009. She lost to sister Venus Williams in that 2009 semi-final.
Serena is the top seed in the tournament that includes Ana Ivanovic, Petra Kvitova, Jelena Jankovic, Simona Halep, Agnieszka Radwanska, Sara Errani, Angelique Kerber, Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams.
Halep is coming to the tournament on form after winning the Qatar Open last week. Halep beat three top-10 players to win her seventh and biggest title of her career, all while playing with an Achilles injury. Halep had a huge breakthrough season on the WTA tour last season and continues to impress this year. She could face Serena in the semi-finals if things go according to plan.
The draw for the tournament also could feature a Serena/Radwanska final, in a rematch of their confrontation at Wimbledon in 2012.
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