Nadal aiming to recapture Queen's Club crown

RAFAEL Nadal has confirmed he will return to the Queen's Club for the AEGON Championships in June.

BACK TO RECLAIM HIS TITLE: Rafael Nadal confirms he will return to Queen's Club to reclaim the title he missed out on defending last season (Getty Images)

The world number three became the first person to lift the French Open, Queen's Club and Wimbledon titles in one season two years ago.

Tendinitis in his knee ruled out the defence of both his Queen's and Wimbledon crowns last summer as Andy Murray and Roger Federer made the most of his absence to win in the two respective titles.

But despite withdrawing from the Australian Open in January with an ankle injury, the 23-year old insists he is back to full fitness and is desperate to recapture the titles he didn't have the opportunity to defend.

"I always look forward to coming to England to play at Queen's and Wimbledon but this year there is even more motivation because I could not defend my titles last year," said Nadal.

"No-one was more disappointed than me that I couldn't play, because I love those tournaments

"Queen's is a big, important tournament played at a very nice, traditional club and it was an amazing feeling to win it in 2008 and then to fulfil my dream by winning Wimbledon

"To not defend my Wimbledon title last year was one of the toughest decisions in my career, but this is a new year and now I have the chance to go back to England and to compete on the grass again."

US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro has also confirmed he will compete at Queen's for the second time.

Meanwhile, defending champion Caroline Wozniacki and US Open champion Kim Clijsters have confirmed their attendance at June's AEGON International in Eastbourne.

Clijsters is returning to Eastbourne for only the second time since lifting the title in 2005 while world number four Wozniacki will be competing for the third consecutive season.