World No 1 Rafael Nadal has confirmed his place at the Aegon Championships, 10 years after he won the title before going on to win Wimbledon. Nadal, 31, was scheduled to play at Queen's Club the past two years but pulled out of the 2016 tournament due to injury, and then last year to fully recover from his French Open triumph. However, Nadal, who defeated Novak Djokovic in the 2008 final, said in a video message that he intends to participate at this year's event. <strong>__________________</strong> Read more: <strong><a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/tennis/novak-djokovic-opts-for-small-medical-intervention-on-his-elbow-1.701267">Novak Djokovic opts for 'small medical intervention' on his elbow</a></strong> <strong>__________________</strong> "I am very excited to communicate that I am going to come to Queen's in 2018," the Spaniard said. "It is going to be the 10th anniversary of my victory in 2008, it's a great memory, winning there and three weeks later winning Wimbledon. "It was an unforgettable year. I am very excited to be coming back and playing Queen's again." Nadal's start to the season has been affected somewhat by injury. In December, he withdrew late from the Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi - an exhibition event that has become a constant of Nadal's schedule - before pulling out of the Brisbane International. Nadal did reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open last month, but his campaign was ended when he was forced to retire injured during the fifth set of his clash with eventual finalist Marin Cilic. Nadal has since revealed that the injury is a small tear of a hip muscle, which was expected to keep him sidelined for approximately three weeks. Nadal will be joined the Queen's Club on June 18 by British No 1 Andy Murray, who last year signed a lifetime contract with the tournament.