Nadal gets back on the practice court in bid to regain fitness for Australian Open Rafael Nadal has returned to the training court and started hitting balls again for the first time since the latest in a series of knee injuries forced his withdrawal from the U.S. Open. The 11-time grand slam champion, who has not competed since being stunned by Czech Lukas Rosol in the second round at Wimbledon in June, completed a session under the supervision of coach and uncle Toni Nadal at an indoor facility in his home town of Manacor on the island of Majorca. Nadal, 26, hopes to be back to full fitness in time for the Australian Open in January. Look who's back: Rafael Nadal during his first training session in Manacor on the island of Mallorca The Spaniard, whose athletic, aggressive playing style places huge demands on his muscles and joints, has been sidelined several times by knee problems during his 11-year career. His latest injury was diagnosed as a partial tear of the patella tendon and an inflammation of the Hoffa's fat pad and after the shock defeat at Wimbledon he was unable to defend his Olympic title at the London Games. As well as the U.S. Open, which he won in 2010 and lost to Novak Djokovic in last year's final, Nadal missed the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London and Spain's Davis Cup final defeat to Czech Republic at the weekend. 'I think I am feeling better, the knee