VENUS Williams has announced her return to competition next year and local tennis fans are set for a treat as the former World No 1 is expected to play in Kuala Lumpur in the WTA Tour BMW Malaysian Open.
Carbon Worldwide, the organiser of the Malaysian Open, has approached Venus and the five-time Wimbledon champion has agreed to play in the tournament on Feb 27-March 4 at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort.
"We are waiting for Venus to pen her signature as the tournament's marquee player," said a reliable source yesterday.
Carbon Worldwide will make an official announcement if Venus is coming or not at a leading hotel in Kuala Lumpur today.
France's World No 9 Marion Bartoli, Australia's defending champion Jelena Dokic and Asian Games gold medallist Peng Shuai are among those who are confirmed as coming.
Venus, a 21-time grand slam winner (singles, doubles and mixed doubles), has had problems with injuries and illness since late 2010.
The 31-year-old recently revealed that she had Sjogren's syndrome which can cause fatigue and pain in the joints, after pulling out of her second round match at the US Open, which was her final tournament of the year.
Since reaching the semi-finals of the 2010 US Open, Venus has played only 11 matches which saw her ranking slip to 104.
She, however, has since changed her diet and appeared in exhibition matches with younger sister Serena.
"Sjogren's is something you live with your whole life. The good news is now I know what's happening after spending years not knowing. I feel like I can get better and move on," Venus said in a recent interview in New York.
Venus will re-launch her career in Auckland before competing in the Australian Open, both in January.
