Serena Williams to return at Australia Open, says tournament chief

The 36-year-old has not played since winning last year's tournament in Melbourne - when she was pregnant with her first child.

She gave birth to a girl in September and has taken to the practice courts in preparation for a return in 2018.

And that will come at Melbourne Park after Tiley revealed the 23-time grand slam champion has entered the tournament with the target of eventually surpassing Margaret Court's record of 24 grand slam singles titles.

He told the Herald Sun: " She's got her visa, she's entered, she's practising and she's probably just got to find a bit more space for a bigger entourage.

"There's no question that she'll be ready in our view and she wants to break a record that is Margaret Court's.

"It would be a pretty significant accomplishment for her to be able to do that."