Putting to rest all the speculations about his possible return to competitive tennis at the Tata Open in Chennai, Indian tennis ace Leander Paes said he would not return to the court before the Australian Open.

Leander was supposed to partner Mahesh Bhupathi in the doubles event of the Tata Open, which gets underway from January 5, but has now postponed his return so as to have more time to recover from the brain cyst which he suffered in July last.

"I was looking forward to play in the Tata Open but now it looks like it will be the Australian Open that will herald my comeback. I have already talked on this with Mahesh," Leander said.

"I have been practicing hard for tournaments lined up in the season starting January next. I am disappointed to postpone my return and realise that it is a long and hard road back to the professional circuit.

"Five months off the circuit is a long time in this competitive sport but I am sure that I want to come and compete at the higher echelons of the game," Paes said from Orlondo where he is currently training along with his coach.

Leander, who partnered legendary Martina Navratilova to win the mixed double title in the last year's Australian Open, said he is now focussing on defending the title with Martina and fulfilling his responsibility in playing for the country in the Davis Cup.

Paes was forced out of the competitive tennis after he was diagnosed with 'neurocysticercosis', a parasitic infection in his brain in July.