Martin Lee will make his comeback in the Sunderland Satellite tournament on Sunday.

The former British No.3 from East Preston has been sidelined for five months with a groin problem that threatens his career.

Lee, 25, who had his third operation in five years at the end of last November, said: "The rehab has gone well and I am moving and hitting in practice okay.

"I've played my first sets of tennis for five months this week, two on Tuesday and two on Wednesday and I felt a bit stiff, but not too bad.

"Yet I will only know if the groin will stand up to match conditions when I step on court at Sunderland.

"This is the last throw of the dice as far as my career goes and I'm keeping my fingers crossed."

Lee, an ex-Davis Cup player, has been a professional for eight years and has played at Wimbledon on Centre Court against Tim Henman and Pete Sampras. He was world No.1 as a junior when he also lifted the Wimbledon boys' doubles title with James Trotman.

He said: "I made the top 100 when not fully fit. I hope if I can become fully fit I can get right back into it."

Lee plans to compete in Redbridge, Cardiff and Sheffield in consecutive weeks.

Meanwhile, Hove's Natasha Khan lost 6-2 6-3 to Ivanna Israilova of Uzbekhistan in the first round of the Challenger event in Hull yesterday.