Ashleigh Barty will return to action for the first time in four months at Adelaide in January while Naomi Osaka and Rafael Nadal kickstart their Australian Open build-up in Melbourne, officials said Friday.
Barty hasn’t played since a shock third-round loss at the US Open in September, but the Australian still finished 2021 as world number one after a season in which she won five titles.
The reigning Wimbledon champion headlines an Adelaide International field that boasts nine of the world’s top 10 women, including Iga Swiatek, who will be defending her title.
Former world number ones Garbine Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova and Victoria Azarenka are also entered for the January 2-9 event, along with world number two Aryna Sabalenka.