A familiar face is missing from the ongoing Argus Open - and for very good reason.

Sidelined by a nagging wrist injury, the Island's top tennis player James Collieson is more likely on his way to an operating room than to a tennis match in the near future.

On Monday, he hopes to get a definitive answer to something he already knows - that there's a problem with his right wrist - and thereafter have it fixed.

"I have a date set up just in case I need to get it (the wrist) done. There's something wrong with it . . . Hopefully the MRI will show something," said Collieson, confirming that he is booked for surgery at the Lahey Clinic in Boston before the end of July.

Despite the injury setback, which initially occurred in April during the XL Open and flared up again during the Island Construction Open at Pomander Gate, he is confident of a full recovery and returning to the game quickly.

The 26-year-old has not abandoned his aspirations on the pro circuit and is drawing inspiration for another shot at the top level from the moderate success of tennis-playing friends.

"Some of the guys I started out are beginning to break through a litle bit; qualifying for Wimbledon et cetera. They are not making much money but they are definitely moving forward.

"Come fall if I don't have a full-time job I'll get out there and give it a go again. Now that I can't do it I realise how much I do enjoy it."

Collieson's plan is to concentrate his effort in the USA, targeting Futures and USTA (United States Tennis Association) tournaments to get back into the groove.

"In the USTA events there's very little prize money but you can get regional rankings in America and, because my ATP points have run out, it's probably the best move to get a regional ranking to get back into professional tournaments," he explained.

In the long run, Collieson would like to maintain his involvement in the sport, becoming a club pro and establishing his own business "to offer something tennis-wise that doesn't exist in Bermuda yet".