Injury-plagued Williams has been bothered by an abdominal injury for the past two months and the world number 15 is hoping to use the Belgian tournament to get in form for the French Open a week later.

Denmark's world number one Caroline Wozniacki, Russian Vera Zvonareva, Serb Jelena Jankovic, Italy's reigning French Open champion Francesca Schiavone and "Israel" 's Shahar Peer will also compete in Brussels.

Five-time Wimbledon champion Williams suffered the injury at the Australian Open, and was forced to withdraw from the Miami tournament last month.