Former world No 1 Serena Williams has been given a wild card to compete in next month’s Rogers Cup in Montreal.
The three-time champion gave birth last September but returned to action earlier this year and reached the Wimbledon final earlier this month, losing to Angelique Kerber.
She has not competed in Montreal since her run to the semi-finals in 2014 and last played the Rogers Cup in Toronto the following year.
Rogers Cup tournament director Eugene Lapierre said in a statement: “After announcing our player list a few weeks ago, we were only missing Serena to complete our dream tournament.
“Serena has impressed everyone with the speed at which she was able to return to a high level of play.
“She has always been a fighter and she is proving it once again.”
Williams returned to competition at Indian Wells in March, and has been climbing back up the rankings – she is 27th in the world after her Wimbledon exploits.
The Rogers Cup wild card given to Williams, who won the tournament in 2001, 2011 and 2013, is reserved for players who meet specific requirements, including previously having been ranked No 1 in the world.
