Victoria Azarenka of Belarus signs autographs after defeating Elena Vesnina of Russia at the 2014 U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, August 30, 2014. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
Victoria Azarenka is a former World No. 1 but now ranks 17th in the world. She has also made it to the quarterfinals at the 2014 US Open. She was a runner-up at Flushing Meadows twice, in 2012 and 2013. She will play against Ekaterina Makarova next. REUTERS

Victoria Azarenka and Ana Ivanovic have confirmed to play in Brisbane International 2015. Azarenka and Ivanovic join Maria Sharapova and Sam Stosur, who had previously been announced to compete in Queensland Tennis Centre.

Azarenka was a 2008 runnerup in Brisbane. The 25-year-old native of Belarus eventually won her first career title in Brisbane a year later. Azarenka was also a finalist in 2014 but lost to Serena Williams in the finale.

Azarenka said she is delighted to come back in Brisbane. She said that the Brisbane International has always been a very special tournament for her after she won her first career title in 2009.

"I feel very at home in Brisbane," Azarenka said via the tournament's official site. "There's a great atmosphere, the crowd is always a lot of fun and I'm really looking forward to competing there again this summer."

Azarenka, who was sidelined for much of the 2014 season due to recurring foot injury, said she couldn't wait to kickstart her 2015 campaign in Brisbane in January. She hopes to be able to climb up the world rankings again. Azarenka has achieved her career-high singles ranking as World No. 2 in January 2014.

Meanwhile, current World No. 5 Ana Ivanovic has also confirmed her participation in Brisbane. It will be the fourth time that the Serbian athlete will play at Queensland Tennis Centre. Ivanovic has played in Brisbane in 2009, 2010, and 2012. Ivanovic's best result in Brisbane was in 2010, when she made it to the semifinals before losing to eventual runnerup Justine Henn.

Cameron Pearson, tournament director of Brisbane International, is thrilled to have Grand Slam champions in 2015 players' lineup. According to Pearson, Azarenka and Ivanovic said that the two are great personalities to have in the event and will surely bring competition in the women's draw.

In other news, the men's field boasts top male tennis athletes ranked inside the top 10 of world rankings. World No. 2 Roger Federer, World No. 5 Kei Nishikori, and World No. 9 Marin Cilic are all taking part in the event. Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, who is ranked 11th in the world, will also play in Brisbane. Two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt, ranked 50th, will also compete in Brisbane.

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