READY, STEADY, GO FOR DOUBLES

PLAYING doubles at the Adidas International in Sydney this week is the first step on the long road to getting back into singles competition.

I flew to Melbourne on Wednesday to have Lyn Watson check out the shoulder and everything went really well.

I was given a saline solution to help expand and loosen the joint and tests showed the shoulder is now really strong.

But Lyn says it will take six months to get back into full competition and back to full fitness.

Lyn's experience with Shane Warne was that it took him 12 months to get back, but she's confident it will take me six, - because of the differences in our situations.

I served at full power in Adelaide on Thursday for the first time since my shoulder operation. I was happy to get through the session because it means I can play doubles with Wayne Arthurs in Sydney and also at the Australian Open.

But I've still got to take things day by day. If the arm feels sore, I have to stop - no matter what the score is.

That rule will apply until the shoulder's completely healed.

I'm hoping Wayne and I can do well enough in doubles to give ourselves a chance to play Davis Cup against Switzerland.

If we do well, we'll give Newk (Australian Davis Cup captain John Newcombe) and Tony Roche another option.

I''ll be looking to get my serve working well. The rest of my game is 100 percent.

IF Yevgeny Kafelnikov is hoping the Australian public has already forgotten what he said during the Davis Cup semi final in Brisbane, I think he'll be surprised.

Australians have long memories and he's not going to live down what he said about Lleyton (Hewitt) and Wayne Arthurs back in September.

But if he gives all his prizemoney from the Australian Open to charity, he has a chance to redeem himself.

THE AAPT Championships at Memorial Drive almost went under financially a few years ago, but it is now on the cusp of becoming a really big tournament in Australia.

The new facilities are awesome and event director Colin Stubs has done a great job. The crowds have been fantastic and the players have come to dreally appreciate the tournament.