Nadal has been battling a series of injuries in recent months.
Rafael Nadal made a winning return to action after eight months out through injury and illness when he partnered Juan Monaco to a straight sets doubles victory in the opening round of the VTR Open in Chile.
Nadal, whose last competitive match came in a shock second-round defeat to Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon in June, was forced to abort his return from a knee injury in December after being struck down by a stomach virus an illness which ruled him out of last month’s Australian Open.
The former world number one was back on court in Vina del Mar, though, as he and Argentine Monaco record an impressive 6-3 6-2 victory over second seeds Frantisek Cermak and Lukas Dlouhy in a match that lasted just over an hour.
The 26-year-old 11-time major winner was scheduled to make his singles comeback against Argentinian Federico Delbonis last night.
The Spaniard is the tournament’s top seed and received a first-round bye.
