At least one grand slam-winning mum will feature at Melbourne Park next month after Australian Open organisers handed Victoria Azarenka a wildcard to the year's first major.
As momentum grows for all-time great Serena Williams to return to tennis and defend her Open title, Azarenka was granted her place after the birth of her first child Leo.
The Belarusian played just two tournaments in 2017 and has a world ranking of 210 but tournament director Craig Tiley said her pedigree made her a stand-out choice for a wildcard.
"Vika's current situation is obviously very difficult for her and we have reached out to offer any support we can," he said on Wednesday.
Azarenka has spoken of her painful battle for custody of Leo, which forced her withdrawal from the US Open and Fed Cup final last year.
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"I'm so excited about coming back to Melbourne for the Australian Open, it's my favourite tournament," Azarenka said.
"It's been a tough year and being able to come back to the AO will be a really positive way to start 2018."
Williams won the 2017 tournament while several weeks pregnant with baby daughter Alexis, giving birth on September 1.
She was named on the 2018 entry list last week and is widely expected to return to tennis at Melbourne Park.
Williams and Azarenka will be gunning to join Kim Clijsters as a major-winning mum, who won the 2011 Australian Open after the birth of her daughter Jade three years earlier.
Australian legends Margaret Court and Evonne Goolagong-Cawley are the only other women to claim grand slams in the Open era as mothers.
Azarenka joins local hopes Jaimee Fourlis and Olivia Rogowska as wildcard entries into the tournament which begins on January 15.
