Tennis: Lincoln's Dan Cox heads to America in bid to battle back from injury

Dan Cox has pencilled in two Futures events in the USA in February as he bids to return to competitive tennis.

The Lincoln professional has been out of the game since last summer after undergoing surgery on career-threatening tendonitis of the wrist.

The 22-year-old, who has seen his world ranking fall from 258 to 539 during his enforced period of inactivity, will begin his comeback in Texas on February 18 with two $15,000 events.

Cox, who achieved his first appearance in the men's singles championships at Wimbledon in 2011, had originally planned to return to competitive tennis at a tournament in Mexico next week.

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"I wanted to go to Mexico for a tournament on February 4, but my team decided it would be better not to rush into making a return and go for the Texas event," said Cox.

"In fact, the biggest worry my team have had is that I am trying to do too much too soon.

"They are trying to hold me back all the time for my own good.

"I wanted to play in Mexico, but my team and I thought it might be better to change that because it would have been too much of a gamble.

"There is a tournament in the Wirral that I may go to before I head to Texas, but I don't have to register for it. If I'm ready, I will just go there and play the qualifying.

"It may not be a bad thing to do that before I head to Texas."

Cox has not played competitively since August last year, but has been gradually building up the intensity of his rehabilitation.

"I have recently pushed it a little but too much too soon and it was probably not a good idea," added Cox.

"My wrist suffered because of it and I had some pain following the session.

"But I think I have to accept that I will sometimes have to deal with a certain amount of pain."

Cox will have a lot to live up to during the tournament in Texas.

Last year, at the same two hard court competitions, he was able to reach a semi-final of one and the quarter final of another.

"It is often quite windy there and you really have to be able to concentrate totally on your game. A lot of players don't like those conditions but I do," said Cox.

"I won't put too much pressure on myself to do well, but it will just be great to get back to playing tournaments."