Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka gets wild-card entry for Rogers Cup

MONTREAL — Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus received a wild-card entry Tuesday to play in the Rogers Cup this August in Montreal.

The two-time Grand Slam champion, who took time away from the sport to have her first child in December 2016, is currently ranked 87th in the world. She returned to the court last year and resumed full-time competition in March.

“We are very pleased to be able to announce the participation of Victoria Azarenka in our tournament by awarding her a wild card,” Rogers Cup tournament director Eugene Lapierre said Tuesday in a release. “She has been a major figure on the WTA tour in the last 10 years and tennis fans are very happy to see her back in action playing in various tournaments after her absence.

“Victoria is showing us that it is possible to be a mother and a professional tennis player at the same time, which is already quite an accomplishment. I am certain that the Montreal fans are looking forward to seeing her back on court.”

Azarenka, 28, started the season in the No. 209 position in the world rankings. She jumped nearly 100 points after reaching the semifinals in Miami last March.

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The complete list of players entered in the Aug. 6-12 Rogers Cup will be unveiled Thursday. 

The men’s tournament will be held the same week in Toronto.

The Canadian Press