Bianca Andreescu slated for return to competition in June
Canadian among 16 players set to compete in largest event since shutdown
Bianca Andreescu and Sofia Kenin will be among 16 women's players to compete in Charleston next month in the largest event held since the season was derailed in mid-March by the COVID-19 crisis, the Tennis Channel said on Friday.
It will be held without fans in an effort to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The 16 players will be divided into two teams with Americans Madison Keys and Bethanie Mattek-Sands serving as captains. The tournament will feature 16 singles matches and eight doubles contests.
Let’s Do This!!.... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TennisUNITED?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TennisUNITED</a> <a href="https://t.co/C9aZRpI9EY">https://t.co/C9aZRpI9EY</a>
—@matteksands"Let's Do This!!" Mattek-Sands wrote on Twitter on Friday.
Other players slated to participate include former world number one Victoria Azarenka, 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens and 2016 Olympic gold medallist Monica Puig.
The field will be completed by Americans Amanda Anisimova, Jennifer Brady, Danielle Collins, Emma Navarro, Alison Riske and Shelby Rogers as well as Canadians Eugenie Bouchard and Leylah Fernandez and Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic.
Charleston hosts the WTA's Volvo Car Open annually in early April, but organizers were forced to cancel this year's event due to the pandemic.
