American superstar Serena Williams will headline the Hopman Cup here later this year.
In a major coup for the unique mixed teams event, it was announced here Tuesday that the eight-time Grand Slam champion would represent the second-seeded United States in the eight-nation tournament.

Williams, currently ranked fifth in the world, will be partnered by 40th-ranked Mardy Fish in the event, which runs from December 29-January 4

The Hopman Cup will be an important part of the former world No.1's preparation for the subsequent Australian Open in Melbourne , where the 26-year-old will be defending the title she won by trouncing top seed Maria Sharapova in the final earlier this year.

At her only previous appearance in Perth , in 2003, Williams teamed with James Blake to win the Hopman Cup and went on to win the Australian Open a few weeks later.

Tournament director Paul McNamee was delighted with securing Williams to cap one of the strongest Hopman Cup fields for many years.