Main draw boost for Angelique Kerber in Adelaide with first WTA tournament since comeback

After taking some time off due to maternity leave, tennis star Angelique Kerber has been granted a main draw entry to the Adelaide International, a precursor tournament to the Australian Open.

The Adelaide International will run from January 8-13, a day before the Australian Open kicks off. The WTA 500 event will feature several top 20 players, including Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Marketa Vondrousova. With so many talented players on display, Kerber will have little time to get acclimatized as she competes in her first WTA tournament since giving birth in February, 2023.

The German star is currently competing at the United Cup, where she helped Germany reach the semifinals of the mixed-gender event. However, Kerber will be making her first WTA main draw appearance of 2024 at the Adelaide International, replacing China's Qinwen Zheng in the draw after the World No. 14 withdrew following her country's elimination at the United Cup.