Rafael Nadal has announced that he is set to make his comeback from injury in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi next month.
The 20-time Grand Slam winner has been struggling with a foot problem since this year's French Open and missed Wimbledon and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as a result.
Nadal most recently took part in the Citi Open back in August, but he expects to be fit and raring to go for the Australian Open as he steps up his recovery in December.
Speaking at a sponsor event in Paris, Nadal said: "My plan is to play Abu Dhabi in December and a tournament before playing the Australian Open. It is my goal and we are working hard to make it that way.
"The injury in my foot still needs to get a little better, but I'm already training almost an hour and a half a day so that's positive. I'm training, I'm feeling better. I'm back on the court."
Nadal exited this year's Australian Open to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals, and his only triumph in the Grand Slam tournament came all the way back in 2009.
Ben Knapton
