Put your story text here...It is almost a year to the day that a broken-hearted Rafael Nadal announced he would not be back on the hallowed SW19 turf to defend his precious 2008 Wimbledon crown, due to injury. His victory over Roger Federer the previous year to lift his maiden Wimbledon title had been truly astonishing: the epic five set match saw the final shot struck in near darkness on Centre Court, with Rafa ending the Swiss star's five year Wimbledon reign.

But on a Friday evening last year, a sorrow-faced Nadal told the waiting press that he would not be back to defend his title. Of course, he had hoped to return and was seen warming up on Wimbledon's practice courts just days before the announcement. But just weeks before he had been diagnosed with tendinitis in both quadriceps tendons and fluid on the kneecaps, which was to be the bane of his life in 2009.

In his press conference Nadal said: "I tried everything. I didn't feel terrible but also not close to my best. When I enter a tournament my goal is winning and my feeling right now is I'm not ready to win. It's very painful for me but I can't play at the tournament this year. It's tough but it is what it is."

It was a bitter pill to swallow, considering he had started 2009 so successfully with his first Australian Open win. Things are looking decidedly more optimistic this year, however. Just a few weeks ago the 24-year-old added to his burgeoning silverware collection, picking off Robin Soderling in the French Open final to collect his fifth Roland Garros title; a win that propelled him back to a No.1 ranking.

Prior to that, he met Federer in the final of the Madrid Open, the 21st time the pair had met. Rafa's straight sets victory over the Swiss earned him a record-breaking 18th World Tour Masters 1000 title and he became the first player to win all clay court Masters tournaments in one year. Now, the thrilling rivalry between the two men looks to be back on course.

Although the Mallorcan lost in the quarter finals of Queen's last week to fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, the defeat hasn't taken the wind out of his sails. Speaking after the match he said he was ready to go home and enjoy time with friends and family before The Championships. "Since before Indian Wells, I didn't spend not one week in that home, so in the same time it gonna be positive thing for me to be there and to enjoy a little bit of Mallorca weather and the island too... It's gonna be very positive thing for go to Wimbledon with very, very good motivation."

Playing golf and dinner with friends and family were on his agenda - picking up a racquet was not. That will change when a rested Rafa returns to the Wimbledon practice courts in preparation for next week's Championships..

"I'm gonna have more time to practice and to adjust a little bit more the serve, a little bit more the backhand and the movements on the grass. So that can be [a] good thing," Nadal said.

So what is his main priority now? Training and remaining injury free for his Wimbledon bid. Oh, and of course, the World Cup: "I'm gonna be always watching the football because it's my favourite sport."