Australian tennis players Mark Philippoussis indicated that his injury-interrupted career may be over and that the priority in his rehabilitation was to return to a normal lifestyle, the media reported here Wednesday.

'I'm doing a lot of work in the swimming pool and I want to get in the gym. It's more for myself to get healthy and strong, and if I feel like I want to get back on the court and hit some balls, maybe. If I feel like the hunger is still there, that's going to be a different story.

'But I'm not thinking about it. I just want to work on my rehab and get off the crutches,' the former world No. 8 was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun.

While admitting that he missed tennis, Philippoussis, nicknamed Scud, was uncertain when he would make another comeback after a fifth knee operation. The 31-year-old can still attract a crowd and was mobbed at the Melbourne Park when he was ferried by golf buggy to an Australian Open fan site here Wednesday.

'It's not the way I intended (to come to the Open), but unfortunately I've kind of got used to this,' he said.

The 2003 Wimbledon finalist will be on crutches for another two months after re-injuring his right knee in the Open wildcard playoff event before Christmas.

'It's just to make sure it heals properly and I'm not rushing anything. The doctor is very happy with the way the surgery went. There was no wear and tear on the bone, so that's good news. I should make a full recovery,' said Philippoussis.

Asked whether he still has the passion to play, Philippoussis said: 'I'm honestly not thinking about it. I'm still watching the game. I spent time in front of the TV yesterday watching all the matches. So that's a good sign.

'I won't lie, I do miss it. But at the moment I'm actually enjoying spending time with family and friends. It's a tough time, but as I said, I'm used to it.'