Martina Navratilova, 47, is to play singles again in two clay court events on the women's circuit.

She has been handed a wildcard for next week's Bausch and Lomb Championships at Amelia Island, Florida, the WTA said on Friday.

Navratilova will also play singles -- and doubles -- at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, which starts on April 12, after accepting a wildcard from tournament organisers.

"When you think of great champions in professional sports, Martina Navratilova's name is certainly at the top of the list," Frankie Whelan, executive director of the Family Circle Cup, said in a statement.

"She knows the role of a champion and has played it well over the past three decades. We are thrilled that she has decided to participate in singles as well as doubles here..."

Navratilova played her first singles match as a professional in 1973 and her last in November 1994 at the WTA Tour Championships.

She returned to the circuit in 2000 to play doubles and since resuming she has won two Grand Slam titles in mixed doubles and eight women's doubles titles.

However, she said at the Australian Open earlier this year that she intended to retire for good at the end of this season.

Navratilova holds 167 singles titles, more than any other player in the history of the sport. Her tally of 1,440 career singles match wins is also a record for the women's Tour.

She was ranked world No.1 for a total of 331 weeks, longer than any woman except Steffi Graf.

At the end of 2003 Navratilova resumed her Fed Cup career and is part of the squad for the U.S. away tie against Slovenia at the end of April.

She has also indicated she intends, if picked for the team, to represent the U.S. at the Athens Olympics.