Maria Sharapova will launch her bid for a second Wimbledon title in the DFS Classic in Birmingham next week.

The world number two returns to the grass courts of Edgbaston Priory Club, where she won the title in 2004 and 2005, after bowing out of the French Open at the semi-final stage.

The 20-year-old Russian pin-up has been a big draw at Birmingham since bursting onto the scene there in 2003.

Sharapova's decision to take a wild card invitation means that Birmingham will boast both losing semi-finalists at Roland Garros, with Serbia's Jelena Jankovic having already confirmed her entry.

Sharapova beat Jankovic in the 2005 final but was beaten in last year's semi-finals by American Jamea Jackson.

The Russian will be joined at Edgbaston by four other players in the world's top 20, including last year's champion Vera Zvonareva and former world number five Daniela Hantuchova.

Although she has enjoyed a successful year on the tour so far - she reached the final of the Australian Open in January and semi-finals in Tokyo, Istanbul and Paris - Sharapova's season has been hampered by injury, in particular a right shoulder problem suffered in Charleston in April.

Three of Britain's leading players have also been awarded wild cards into the main draw of the tournament, which begins on Monday.

British number one Anne Keothavong, teenager Naomi Cavaday and Elena Baltacha, who is on the comeback trail after missing the grasscourt season in 2006 through back surgery, will all be hoping to make a mark ahead of Wimbledon.