New mum Victoria Azarenka all set to return to WTA at Stanford

California: Former world number one Victoria Azarenka will return to competition at the WTA tournament in Stanford, California in July, seven months after giving birth to son Leon.

"I am very excited to be returning to the WTA at the Bank of the West Classic," 27-year-old Azarenka said in comments posted on the tour`s website.

"Becoming a mother has been the most rewarding thing that has ever happened to me and really puts things in perspective.

"I am looking forward to beginning this new stage of my career."

Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, launched her 2016 campaign with back-to-back titles at Indian Wells and Miami, but missed the rest of the season after announcing she was expecting Leo in December.

In March she told Tennis Channel she had resumed training and was aiming to return to competition during the US Open Series, the string of hard court tournaments leading up to the US Open in August.

Azarenka said she had brought on Michael Joyce, longtime coach to Maria Sharapova, as her new coach.

"I don`t call it a comeback," she said in March. "It`s more a continuation of my career and going after my dreams and goals."