Former world number one Serena Williams will return to the tennis courts In February to play for the United States for their Fed Cup first round tie against the Netherlands.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) disclosed this on Tuesday.
Since Serena Williams won the Australian Open title last year she has not played a WTA tournament and even skipped this year’s opening Grand Slam.
This came after a rising concern over Serena Williams health after giving birth to her first child.
She has played once since picking up her Open-era record 23rd Grand Slam in Melbourne last year.
Serena, however, lost to Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko in an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi last December.
The 36-year-old American will be joined by older sister Venus Williams and world number nine CoCo Vandeweghe with a fourth player to be announced next week.
The February 10 to February 11 tie will be played on an indoor hard court in Asheville, North Carolina.
The U.S. beat Belarus last year for a record-extending 18th Fed Cup title, they are first in 17 years.
Serena Williams is trying to gain back her fitness after suffering serious health complications immediately after the birth of her baby, Alexis.
Baby, Alexis Olympia, was born via emergency Caesarean section due to her alarmingly low heart rate. The baby’s health stabilized after birth since she was subjected to intensive care, but Serena said that “everything went bad” for her personally.
“Sometimes, I get really down and feel like, man, I can’t do this. It’s that same negative attitude I have on the court sometimes. I guess that’s just who I am. No one talks about the low moments — the pressure you feel, the incredible letdown every time you hear the baby cry.” she confessed
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