Serena Williams to play in National Bank Open ahead of U.S. Open

It appears that all-time tennis great Serena Williams is preparing to take part in the U.S. Open later this summer. 

According to a Reuters (h/t ESPN) piece, Williams will play in the National Bank Open held in Toronto that is scheduled to run from Aug. 6-15. The 40-year-old used her protected ranking to enter the main draw with a field that includes big names such as world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, reigning U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu, and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.

Williams returned to action after a year away from competitive tennis to play in last month's Wimbledon Championships. Her experience on one of the sport's biggest stages didn't last long, however, as she fell to Harmony Tan in a grueling first-round thriller. 

The hope is that Williams' decision to play in Toronto means she plans to head to New York for the U.S. Open that gets underway on Aug. 29. She remains on 23 career Grand Slam titles, one behind the all-time record held by Margaret Court. Williams' last major victory came when she won the Australian Open in 2017.