PERTH: World number one Serena Williams will play in January’s mixed teams Hopman Cup in Australia, joining defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the event organisers said on Wednesday.

Serena, an 18-time Grand Slam singles winner, will partner Wimbledon doubles champion Jack Sock in the US team at the Jan 4 to 10 event in Perth.

The 33-year-old, who won the Hopman Cup with James Blake in 2003 and with Mardy Fish in 2008, said she was looking forward to heading back to Western Australia.

“It’s been such a long time since I’ve been there. I’ve had a great time there and it’s always been a great warm-up for me,” Serena said of tournament held ahead of the Australian Open.

Tsonga, who is currently ranked 12th, and Alize Cornet will represent France as the top seeds and aim to win the tournament for the second straight year.

“I have a really good welcome from everyone at this event. The win last year with Alize was great,” the 29-year-old Frenchman said.

Representing Poland, who lost to France in the final earlier this year, will be Australian Open semi-finalist Agnieszka Radwanska and Jerzy Janowicz.

Flavia Pennetta and Fabio Fognini will play for Italy, and Radek Stepanek will team up with Lucie Safarova for the Czech Republic.

Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard and Vasek Pospisil, Britain’s Andy Murray and Heather Watson and Australia’s Nick Kyrgios and Casey Dellacqua are also confirmed for the round-robin event.

The competition involves teams from Australia, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, US, France, Great Britain and Canada.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd , 2014