Serena Williams is set to compete at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi against a yet-to-be confirmed opponent, Sport360 has learned.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion has been away from tour since she won the Australian Open last January and has been on maternity leave since having her first child Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. in September.

Williams will play on Saturday December 30 at Zayed Sports City, in what is a massive boost for the tournament and tennis fans in the UAE. Her opponent hasn’t been announced but it is believed she will face a fellow Grand Slam champion.

The Abu Dhabi showpiece, taking place from December 28-30, had witnessed numerous withdrawals with Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka and Milos Raonic all pulling out in recent days.

The trio were replaced by Roberto Bautista Agut, Kevin Anderson, and Andrey Rublev, respectively.

Ticket holders for day 3 can attend Williams’ match. This is the first time a women’s tennis match will take place at the MWTC.

The tournament is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Tickets for the MWTC are on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and all Virgin Megastores across the UAE.