BRISBANE, Dec 20: Brisbane International organisers say Serena Williams still plans to compete at the Dec 30-Jan 5 tournament despite minor surgery on her big toes which forced her to withdraw from a Dec 29 exhibition in Thailand.

Brisbane tournament director Cameron Pearson said on Thursday he had been assured by Serena’s agent that the WTA player of the year will “be fit and ready” for the event at the Queensland Tennis Centre.Serena has been affected by chronic foot problems since treading on glass and badly cutting both feet in 2010.

The five-time Australian Open winner played at last year’s Brisbane International but pulled out with an ankle injury at the quarter-finals. Later in the year, she won Wimbledon, the US Open and gold in women’s singles at the London Olympics.—AP