Rafa Nadal will return to Grand Slam tennis at the Australian Open in January, tournament director Craig Tiley said on Wednesday.

The 37-year-old former world No. 1 has been sidelined since hurting his hip flexor in a second-round loss to Mackenzie McDonald at the Melbourne Park major earlier this year.

The Spaniard, who has won 22 Grand Slam titles, was initially expected to miss eight weeks, but underwent surgery on a hip muscle in June.