Former tennis world number one Rafa Nadal will return at the Brisbane International warm up event for the Australian Open in January, the Spaniard said on Friday.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion has not played a competitive match since bowing out in the second round of this year's Australian Open when hampered by a hip flexor problem.

(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Christina Fincher)