The Volvo Car Open in Charleston will feature some of the best players of the world but the most memorable sight will be of Kim Clijsters’ debut at the event.
Clijsters was given a wild card entry to the main draw. The tournament, played on clay, will be held in April next year.
After a seven year long absence from tennis, the former world no.1 has decided to return to tennis in 2020.
Initially, she was to make her return at the Australian Open in January, however a knee injury forced her to postpone her return till the Mexico Open in March. She also accepted a wild card into the Indian Wells Masters in keeping with the WTA rules which allow her to receive multiple wild cards as a Grand Slam champion.
Clijsters has won 41 WTA titles and stands behind the Williams sisters: Serena with 72 and Venus with 49 titles.
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This the second time the six-time Grand Slam champion will make a return to tennis. In 2009, she returned after two years of retirement on giving birth to her first child.
The Volvo Car Open will feature a host of players other than Clijsters. Defending champion Madison Keys will return to Charleston as a fan favourite as after she defeated soon-to-retire Caroline Wozniacki in the finals this year.
Keys is currently ranked at 13, after reaching the round of 16 at the US Open and winning the Cincinnati Open. She will be joined by Garbine Muguruza, the winner of the Mexico Open and two-time Grand Slam winner.
Current world no.1 Ashleigh Barty, Wimbledon champion Simona Halep and Sloane Stephens are confirmed to play at the tournament as well. Last year, Stephens reached the quarterfinals at the Volvo Open but lost the match to the eventual winner Keys.
In total, this tournament is expected to feature five Grand Slam champions and is set to begin from April 4 in the coming year.
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