Maria Sharapova has accepted a wildcard to join a stacked Brisbane International field next month.

The Russian has struggled with an ongoing shoulder injury since serving a doping ban, playing just eight tournaments and 14 matches this year.

It has meant the former world No.1 has sunk to 131 in the world rankings.

But the five-time grand slam winner and 2008 Australian Open champion, now 32, has taken inspiration from men’s No.1 Rafael Nadal (33) and hopes to kick-start a more consistent season in Australia.

Sharapova will confirm her Brisbane International berth on Tuesday, while she is also scheduled to play the Kooyong Classic and is relying on another wildcard to contest the Australian Open.

It was in Melbourne Park in 2016 that Sharapova tested positive to a banned substance and was consequently suspended for two years, reduced to 15 months on appeal.

She returned in 2018 to a warm reception from fans and administrators and started impressively, before Angelique Kerber made swift work of her in a blockbuster third round.

Sharapova’s most recent clash was earlier this month in an Abu Dhabi exhibition match against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, who will also compete in Brisbane, which the Russian won in straight sets.

The Brisbane event will be headlined by Australia’s world No.1 Ashleigh Barty but also feature Kerber, Karolina Pliskova, Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina, Petra Kvitova, Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens.

Queensland’s Samantha Stosur, herself a former US Open winner, will return for another campaign knowing what she’s up against.

“It’s always an extremely tough event, with some of the best in the world playing and the depth is incredible,” she said.

“There’s so many good match-ups in the first round … so you’ve got to be firing quickly.”

The Brisbane International will be an exclusively women’s event for the first time when it begins on January 6, with the inaugural men’s ATP Cup to run concurrently from January 3.