Serena Williams continues comeback with Canadian Open WTA
In this file photo, Serena Williams returns a shot during her first-round match against Harmony Tan (FRA) on Day 2 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, United Kingdom, June 28, 2022. (Susan Mullane/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters)


U.S. tennis superstar Serena Williams is set to continue her comeback at the Canadian Open WTA event in Toronto next month, organizers confirmed on Thursday.

The former world No. 1, who played her first singles match in a year during a first-round defeat at Wimbledon last month, was named in a star-studded field for the Aug. 6-14 tournament.

Williams, who is using her protected ranking to enter the main draw, joins a field that includes 41 of the top 43-ranked players in the world, including two-time French Open champion and world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

Williams was beaten in three sets by unseeded Frenchwoman Harmony Tan at Wimbledon last month.

Asked afterward about her plans for the future, Williams, who turns 41 later this year, was coy. "Who knows where I'll pop up?" she told reporters.

Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, and U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu are also in the stacked field for the tournament in Toronto.

The men's tournament, which will take place in Montreal, will see Rafael Nadal make his return after an injury cut short his Wimbledon campaign.

Nadal has won five times in Canada and will be out to equal Ivan Lendl's record of six Canadian Open titles.

The field also includes world No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud and Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in addition to world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev.