World number three Rafael Nadal will play at the Aegon Championships at Queen’s for the first time since 2011.
The 28-year-old Spaniard warmed up for Wimbledon by playing at the Halle Open in Germany in 2012 and 2014.
But Nadal has failed to progress past the fourth round at Wimbledon in that time and says that is the main reason he will return to Queen’s in June.
“I want to try Queen’s again where the grass courts are a little bit more similar to Wimbledon,” he said.
Nadal won the Aegon Championships in 2008 on the way to the first of his two Wimbledon titles.
“I’m very happy to be back,” he added. “Queen’s is a great event, I always enjoyed it.
“I had some great feelings there, the atmosphere of the club – a real tennis club – is very special, the courts are unbelievable.”
Britain’s Andy Murray, US Open champion Marin Cilic, defending champion Grigor Dimitrov and 2014 Australian winner Stan Wawrinka are also set to play at Queen’s.
