Venus Williams was awarded a wildcard for the Auckland Classic in January.
The 45-year-old, who has won seven Grand Slam Singles titles, made his return in July after 16 months without competition.
She beat fellow American Peyton Stearns, ranked 35th in the world, in her return at the Washington Open to become the second female WTA singles player.
A month later, she was given a wildcard into the main draw of the US Open and impressed in her three-set loss to 11th seed Karolina Muchova in the first round.
Nicolas Lamperin, Tournament director at the Auckland Classic, said: “Venus has had a huge influence on the evolution of women’s tennis and has inspired the next generation with her undying passion for the sport.
“All sports fans should take this opportunity to see one of the greatest sports of all time in action.”
Williams is scheduled to play in the Classic, a tournament she won in 2015, for the first time since 2023.
It takes place from 5-11 January and precedes the Australian Open, the first grand slam of 2026, which is scheduled to start on 18 January.