Tim Henman insists he will only play in the Australian Open or Britain's next Davis Cup tie if he is 100% fit.

Henman is currently recovering from shoulder surgery and says he is on schedule for a return to action at the beginning of next year.

But the British number one stressed he would not rush his rehabilitation.

"When I injured myself I continued to play even though I was nowhere near fully fit and I'm just not interested in doing that again," Henman said on his official website.

"It's tough enough trying to compete at the highest level when you are feeling your best, but to try and do so when injured is a recipe for disaster.

"There's no doubt that the Australian Open, and after that the Davis Cup tie against Australia, are really important but I'm not going to compete unless I'm fully fit.

"Otherwise I'll be doing myself and Great Britain an injustice."

The venue for Great Britain's 7-9 February Davis Cup tie against Australia is yet to be confirmed, but it is expected to be held on a specially-constructed clay court in Sydney.

And with Greg Rusedski also struggling with fitness, Henman will be expected to prove his commitment to the British cause.

He said: "I've been working hard rehabilitating my shoulder since the op and although I've been pretty cautious in terms of workload, I've been pleased with the way it has progressed.

"If my shoulder keeps progressing the way it has done over the past couple of weeks then I'm hopeful that I can get back on court by mid-December and start my preparation for Kooyong and the Australian Open."