Los Angeles (AFP)

The returning Belgian Kim Clijsters and four other winners of the Grand Slam tricks, the Americans Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens will play the WTA tournament in Cincinnati, relocated from August 20 to 28 in New York, just before the US Open.

These players, as well as the 18-year-old American Caty McAnally, benefit from a wild card (invitation) for the event played behind closed doors, a coronavirus pandemic obliges, the organizers announced Thursday.

They complete a high profile which includes the Czech Karolina Pliskova (world No. 3), the Americans Sofia Kenin (No. 4), Serena Williams (No. 9), Madison Keys (No. 13) and the Dutch Kiki Bertens. (N.7).

The Spanish Garbine Muguruza, winner of the tournament in 2017, is also present as the young rising star of American tennis Coco Gauff (16 years).

If Osaka is one of the favorites of this edition along with Pliskova and Kenin, all eyes will be on Clijsters.

At 37, the Belgian, mother of three, decided to try a comeback eight years after retiring from sports. Eliminated early in Dubai in February and then in Monterrey in March, she currently participates in World Team Tennis, a mixed team competition, in West Virginia.

Ex-world number 1, winner of the Australian Open in 2011, she hopes to prepare for the US Open that she won three times (2005, 2009, 2010) and which will take place from August 31 to 13 September.

© 2020 AFP