By Elena Baltacha Former British number one

My run of illnesses and injuries have been a long, hard road.

If I've caused a few upsets with people then that's tough

When I was playing through the summer it felt like there was something missing.

I saw the professor who has been helping me before the French Open and he said I needed more tests.

I agreed with my coach Alan [Jones] that we would go flat out through the summer and make a decision after the tests.

After Wimbledon I had the chance to take time out and now I have the results.

Baltacha takes time out

They show that I was born with my liver problem, but that the tiredness I've been suffering is unrelated.

The professor said it could be good to take time out, so I have decided I'm not going to compete for six months, I'm going to practise.

Before it was like patchwork - my physio would patch me up - and I was never 100%.

I already feel much stronger having not played for a month.

But I'm going to slowly build up, starting by playing an hour a day - there's no point going flat out and ending up back where I started.

I'll be back in January or February properly, but I'll probably start to play some Girobank events in November.

I'm still young and six months isn't that long - it should help me have a career for another 10 years hopefully.

I'm not thinking about the Slams - I've got eight or 10 tournaments where I go in with my old ranking and then I'll have my new ranking

The LTA has agreed that it's the best thing I should do, and I know that this is the right way to go about things.

But if I've caused a few upsets with people then that's tough.

To help pass the time I'm going to enter some table tennis tournaments.

It will just be good to enter and compete.

I'm very lucky that the sponsors that I have are good with me - they're very understanding.

And it's very important to me what my mum, and family and coaches think.

So now I'm looking forward to 2004 and I'm happy with my decision.

I'm not thinking about the Slams - I've got eight or 10 tournaments where I go in with my old ranking and then I'll have my new ranking.

It will be hard to get back to what my ranking was before, but I'm sure I'll get there in the end.