Rafael Nadal to return to tennis court in Abu Dhabi exhibition in January

Rafael Nadal: World No 3 is set to return from injury in Abu Dhabi exhibition

Rafael Nadal says he will return to the court in January for the Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament, after the 14-time Grand Slam champion had his appendix removed this month.

Nadal, 28, had sugery to remove his appendix in the first week of November, a decision that meant he missed the ATP World Tour Finals and brought, to an early end, a season that was plagued by injury and illness.

The Spaniard was troubled by back pain for much of this season, and was sidelined by a wrist injury after Wimbledon.

His win at the French Open in June, the ninth time he has won the Paris tournament, stands out as a rare highlight for the year.

It will be the sixth time Nadal has competed in the Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament. He won the tournament in 2009 and 2011.

Nadal said: "I will play in Abu Dhabi in January, and after that I will play my first official tournament in Doha.

"I am not practicing yet, but I am happy with how the operation went and I have no problems.

"It was not an easy year, especially in the second half it was hard, but that's part of my life, that's part of my career, and I accept that.

"What happened with my wrist and then appendix, it was problem and then problems again.

"I am doing all the right things but I have worked my body pretty hard for a lot of years so these kind of things can happen.

"But I am confident I will have the chance to be back and be competitive with all the things I want to compete in."

The Abu Dhabi exhibition tournament is scheduled for January 1-3.

In addition to Nadal, the world No 3, the tournament includes world No 1 Novak Djokovic, Australian Open champion and world No 4 Stan Wawrinka, No 6 Andy Murray and the French duo of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils.

The ATP tournament in Doha, Qatar, will be played the following week.