Dubai (AFP)
Belgian Kim Clijsters will finally return to competition after a seven-year absence from Australian Open finalist Garbine Muguruza earlier this week in Dubai.
Clijsters was originally scheduled to meet Kiki Bertens, 8th in the world, but the Dutch player had to withdraw since she plays this Sunday the final of the Saint Petersburg tournament.
It is the Spanish Muguruza, 16th world and twice titled in Grand Slam (Roland-Garros 2016, Wimbledon 2017), who will therefore face Clijsters, ex-world number 1.
At 36, the Belgian, who has four major titles on her list (US Open 2005, 2009, 2010, Australian Open 2011), has not participated in a competition since the US Open in 2012.
The top seeds N.1 and N.2, Simona Halep and Karolina Pliskova, will enter Dubai from the second round.
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