Kontaveit currently ranks 17th in the world after illness and injury hampered the second half of the 2022 season – which saw her reach a career-high ranking of second.

Kanepi's career has seen something of a renaissance, as she reentered the WTA top 30 for the first time in eight years, and reached the final of the Washington WTA250 tournament.

While the 2023 season in effect starts in the dying days of 2022 with the debut of the joint WTA (women's) and ATP (men's) United Cup, the first full WTA tournament in Adelaide starts on the first day of the new year.

As such it is one of several warmers for the Australian Open, the first grand slam tournament of the year, which starts mid-January.

Four world top 10 players are confirmed for Adelaid: Ons Jabeur, Arina Sabalenka, Darja Kasatkina and Veronika Kudermetova, along with Latvian player Jelena Ostapenko, reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, Tokyo Olympics winner Belinda Bencic and previous grand slam title winners, Bianca Andreescu and Viktoria Azarenka

Adelaide is also to host a second WTA500 tournament a week later and leading into the Australian Open, though the entry list to this competition has not yet been announced.

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