Team Europe's Roger Federer (left) and teammate Rafael Nadal watch a match as part of the 2019 Laver Cup tennis tournament in Geneva, on Sept 20, 2019. (FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)

Australian Open champion Rafa Nadal will make his return from a month-long absence due to injury at this week's ATP Masters 1000 Madrid Open that begins, the Spaniard announced on Tuesday.

Despite arriving just before the tournament and preparation being difficult, I really want to play at home since the opportunities are few ... So I'm going to try to do it in the best way I can. See you in Madrid.

Rafa Nadal, Spanish professional tennis player

The 35-year-old, who last played in the final of Indian Wells against Taylor Fritz on March 20, suffered a stress fracture in his rib during the tournament, forcing him to miss claycourt events in Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

"Despite arriving just before the tournament and preparation being difficult, I really want to play at home since the opportunities are few," Nadal wrote on Twitter.

"So I'm going to try to do it in the best way I can. See you in Madrid."

The former world number's one return to action comes little under a month before the French Open, where he will be bidding for a record-extending 14th title. The claycourt major gets underway on May 22.

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Meanwhile, Roger Federer has signed up to play at his home tournament in Basel in October, tournament organizers said on Tuesday as doubts continue on when the 20-time major winner will return to competition from his knee problem.

Roger Federer underwent two knee operations in 2020 and returned to the tour last year, but had another knee surgery after Wimbledon that forced him to miss the second half of the season

The former world number one, who will be 41 in August, has not played since July last year, when he was knocked out of Wimbledon in the quarter-finals against Hubert Hurkacz.

Federer underwent two knee operations in 2020 and returned to the tour last year, but had another knee surgery after Wimbledon that forced him to miss the second half of the season.

In February, Federer confirmed his plans to team up with Spaniard Rafa Nadal at the Laver Cup in London in September.

The Swiss Indoors tournament will return to the calendar after a two-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is scheduled to take place between Oct 24-30.

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Federer is a record 10-times winner in Basel and will return as the reigning champion at the event, where he has not lost since 2013.