Uncle Toni says Nadal will return next week in Montreal

Rafael Nadal's uncle and coach, Toni, has told Spanish radio that his nephew will make a return to tennis at next week's Montreal Masters after more than two months away.

Nadal, the World No 2, is expected at the weekend in the Francophile Canadian city to play for the first time since May 31, when he was beaten by Robin Soderling in the fourth round of the French Open.

"There is good news for us. Rafael will play in Montreal," the mentor told Radio Marca on Monday. "He's been training but not pushing very hard."

The elder Nadal said that the state of his nephew's knee tendinitis will be the deciding factor.

"I imagine he won't be in very good condition," Toni said. "We'll just have to see how he goes in a match."

Nadal would be second in the field after Roger Federer, the new father of twins, whose participation has not been reconfirmed.