Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli has announced that she will return to professional tennis in the new year, four years after retiring from the sport.
Barotli quit in 2013 due to persistent injury problems, just six weeks after winning her only Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. She was also a Wimbledon runner-up in 2007.
The 33-year-old Frenchwoman plans to make her return at the 2018 Miami Open in March and is excited about the prospect of getting back on the court.
"It's going to be a huge challenge, I still have a lot of practise ahead of me but I'm hoping to be ready for March at the Miami Open. I'm really looking forward to being on the court again in front of you to feel your support, especially in Paris of course in Roland Garros, but also for the Fed Cup, and Wimbledon.
"I am so looking forward to see you again during my matches and share some amazing emotions with you," she said in a post on her official Instagram account.
Bartoli won eight WTA titles and reached a career-high world ranking of seventh in 2012.
She suffered from an unknown virus in 2016, which caused dramatic weight loss and made her 'fear for her life.'