Rafael Nadal has plans to defend his title in his home country…

The 26-year-old Spanish tennis star, who recently returned to the courts after being sidelined with a knee injury since the summer, will play in the Barcelona Open in April.

The decision is welcome news for the tournament since Nadal is one of the ATP tour’s biggest draws and a huge hero in Barcelona.

The 11-time Grand Slam champion began the summer on a high note by capturing a record seventh French Open title with a victory over world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the final, but he hasn’t played since a shocking second-round loss at Wimbledon.

Nadal said he was suffering from a knee ailment known as Hoffa’s Syndrome, which involves pain and swelling around the bottom of and under the kneecap.

Nadal recently announced that he will return to action at an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, an event that starts on December 27.

He’s the defending champion at the Barcelona Open, where he’s won seven titles.

The tournament will take place April 20-28, 2013.