Bermuda-based tennis star Pat Rafter has prepared himself for the worst-case scenario -- being forced into retirement because of an ongoing shoulder injury.

"My attitude towards it is I've achieved so much and I've achieved everything that I've ever wanted to achieve,'' said Rafter from his home on the Island yesterday.

"There are a few more things I'd love to do, but I've gotten so much out of the game that if it was to put me back, it wouldn't be the end of the world for me. It would be disappointing.

"I just look at the rest of my career now as a bonus and I'm going to work hard to see if anything else can come of it.'' But the popular Australian, a two-time US Open champion, is mixing his caution with optimism as he plans his return to tennis after spending six months out of action.

The 27-year-old Rafter, who suffered a rotator cuff tear to his right shoulder last summer, is scheduled to reappear at the upcoming Citrix Tennis Championships, February 28-March 5, at Delray Beach, Florida.

"I think you've got to be fair -- I've got to keep a close eye on the shoulder over the next few months,'' said Rafter.

"The shoulder is something you have to play day by day. I can't commit to anything 100 percent at this stage.

"The ball striking is fine. The serve feels good. But every now and then, I feel a bit of a pinch in the backhand, on the slice backhand, which is a pain directly where I had the operation. It does have some sort of concern.'' If Rafter's shoulder holds up at Delray, he has a heavy schedule planned for the following few weeks -- Scottsdale, Indian Wells, Miami and a Davis Cup quarter-final tie against Germany in Australia the first weekend of April.

He also plans to play doubles again at the Bermuda Open in the final week of April.

Rafter honoured tournament commitments all last summer despite obvious pain, but eventually was forced to retire early in the fifth set of a first-round match against Frenchman Cedric Pioline at the US Open.

After rest and therapy failed to heal the injury, Rafter had surgery to repair the shoulder in Melbourne last October 24.

The next few months were then spent commuting between Melbourne and either Sydney or Brisbane, spending three or four days a week in Melbourne getting therapy and, later, beginning to train.

"It was a very tough time because I was flying backwards and forwards every three days,'' said Rafter, who last summer became the first Australian since John Newcombe in 1974 to attain the world number one ranking. "I probably did more travelling then than what I had done the whole year on the Tour.

"It (the rehabilitation) was pretty slow, and at times, very boring.'' While Rafter's doctors are optimistic about his ability to snap back and perform at a professional level, he understands there are no guarantees.

"It's always an unknown thing when they go in there and have a look around,'' he said. "They always said to me it's a day-by-day thing and don't say you're going to be ready at this time because it might not be.'' Rafter will reluctantly reduce his doubles schedule, a part of the game he greatly enjoys and has had major success in, including winning the 1999 Australian Open title with Swede Jonas Bjorkman. In fact, Rafter has played doubles this year, reaching the semi-finals at Sydney in January, but then decided the shoulder needed more time to mend.

Pat Rafter: Looking at the rest of his career as a bonus after an injury that has prevented him playing singles for six months.