MADRID: Rafael Nadal will miss next month's ATP World Tour Masters Series events in Miami and Indian Wells, the Madrid sports daily Marca reported on Tuesday.

The 11-time Grand Slam champion has only recently returned to the court after a seven-month injury lay-off with a persistent knee problem but has decided to only play on clay courts as he prepares his bid for an eighth French Open title in May.

Nadal, who begins his campaign at the Mexico Open in Acapulco later on Tuesday against Argentine Diego Schwartzman, won the Brazil Open in just his second tournament since his return a fortnight ago.

But he admitted on arriving in Mexico that his knee was still was not 100 percent. “It's better and I've been able to compete but it's still bothering me,” he said.

“It's better on some days and worse on others, which isn't ideal for someone like me, because my idea of competing is based on giving it all at all times.”

After his participation in Mexico the World No.5 is expected to return to play the Masters Series event in Monaco in April before also competing in Madrid and Rome before the French Open begins at Roland Garros in Paris on May 26.