Naomi Osaka and Kim Clijsters have been granted wildcards to the WTA Western & Southern Open event later this month. 

These are in addition to those already awarded to Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Caty McNally.

It is unclear why the two-time Grand Slam champion Osaka did not enter the tournament by the entry deadline. 

Four-time Grand Slam winner Clijsters returned to tennis earlier this year when she competed in both Dubai and Monterrey, before the WTA Tour was brought to a halt in March. 

But they will now all compete alongside Serena Williams, Karolina Pliskova, Sofia Kenin, Kiki Bertens and Belinda Bencic.

The current world No 1 Ashleigh Barty announced earlier this week that she would not be competing due to virus concerns. 

The Western & Southern Open is scheduled to run from August 22–28 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.