Andy Murray hopes to be able to compete for grand slams again in future, but the returning star insists it would not be "the end of the world" if he did not.
Former world number one Murray has not played since Wimbledon last year, undergoing hip surgery in January to nudge his lay-off towards a year.
A return at the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships was cancelled, but the Briton will be back in action at the Fever-Tree Championships in the coming days and says he never considered that his career might be over, even if he cannot guarantee a return to the top level.
"I always thought I'd come back and play again," said Murray, now ranked 157th. "I would love to get back to the top of the game but, if not, that's OK. It's not the end of the world if I don't.
"I'm not expecting to win grand slams straight away. You don't start playing after 11 months out and win them - that isn't how this works.
"It may have been different if I had four months of hard training and preparation. There has been a lot of stop-starting for me.
"The expectations are very low right now and I will reassess my goals when I'm back out there competing."
Murray has won three grand slams, with his most recent success coming at Wimbledon in 2016. He will make his return against Nick Kyrgios in the first round at Queen's Club.
