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ALL eyes will be on Serena Williams as she returns to the WTA Tour for the Bank of the West Classic.
Williams was bundled out of Wimbledon in the third round by Alize Cornet, but it was her astonishing capitulation in the women’s doubles — playing with sister Venus — that caused concern for the world number one’s health.
The 17-time major winner declared she had a virus after the match, as she was almost unable to hold a tennis ball and double-faulted an entire service game before retiring.
Williams is the star attraction of the WTA Premier event in Stanford, alongside fellow top 10 players Agnieszka Radwanska, Angelique Kerber and Victoria Azarenka.
Radwanska, ranked fifth, bowed out in the last 16 at the All England Club, while Kerber — the world number eight — was an SW19 quarter-finalist.
Pole Radwanska made the final of the hard-court tournament in 2013, losing to Dominika Cibulkova.
Slovakia’s Cibulkova is set to return for her title defence, with the world number 12 to assume the sixth seeding, behind Williams, Radwanska, Kerber, Azarenka and Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic.
Azarenka has slipped to number 10 in the world, with a foot injury derailing her 2014 season.
But the Belarusian two-time major winner, and 2010 Stanford champion, received a wildcard into the main draw, and will be seeded fourth.
Other wild cards dished out went the way of Venus Williams, who has made the final here seven times for two titles, and another local, Kristie Ahn, ranked 858th.
Top 20 players Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain, Germany’s Andrea Petkovic and Australian Sam Stosur are also set to be among the title hopes in the 32-strong draw. — Opera Sports.
Online Reporter