Madison Keys set to play in first tournament since her Australian Open triumph

The 30-year-old memorably lifted her first Grand Slam title inside the Rod Laver Arena in January, beating four top-10 players on her way to the title.

The American however has not played an official WTA match since her stunning 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 victory over two-time defending Australian Open champion and world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Keys withdrew from the WTA 1000 events in Doha and Dubai to prioritise rest, and was then unable to play the ATX Open due to limits on top-10 players at WTA 250 events.

She is set to be the fifth seed in Indian Wells and is set for an emotional return to action in front of a home American crowd after winning her long-awaited first Grand Slam.

Former WTA star Andrea Petkovic has issued an optimistic verdict, saying: "I honestly think if she [Keys] gets through the first two rounds, she will be very dangerous.

"I do think for these type of players who hit the ball so hard in Indian Wells, the first two rounds are very difficult.

"The ball flies, and the thing that we all get wrong, all the professional tennis players in the world, you think you have to then decelerate, because the ball is flying, and you have to accelerate.

"And if she can figure that out in the first two rounds, she will be very dangerous at Indian Wells."

READ MORE: Aryna Sabalenka headlines Indian Wells as top seed