Having just become the 2013 champion at Queens Club, London, Bartoli played two more events before announcing she was retiring. 

In 2015, Bartoli was denied medical approval to play the legends doubles at Wimbledon, but the following year she completed the New York marathon.

She has also been working as a commentator for Eurosport.

In a statement on social media, Bartoli said: “I am delighted to announce my comeback on the professional circuit of the WTA next year.

“I am so looking forward to see [sic] you again during my matches and share some amazing emotions with you.”

Bartoli caused a shock at Wimbledon 2013 by taking the title, despite being seeded 14^th, beating Germany’s Sabine Lisicki in the final, who had earlier knocked out 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in the fourth round.

However, she retired just 40 days later due to increasing pain caused by injuries suffered throughout her career.

In a press conference at the time, she said: "I made my dream a reality and it will stay forever with me, but now my body just can't cope with everything.

"I have pain everywhere after 45 minutes or an hour of play."

In July 2016, Bartoli said she “feared for her life” after contracting a virus, which caused her to dramatically lose weight.

Bartoli won eight Women’s Tennis Association titles and one Grand Slam in her career, reaching a career-high ranking of seventh in 2012.

She is likely to make her comeback at the Miami Open in March.