LONDON (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic is due to return to action after knee surgery to begin his Wimbledon campaign against Czech player Vit Kopriva on Tuesday and the record 24-times Grand Slam champion will hope he can come through unscathed.
After picking up the injury during his French Open fourth-round win, Djokovic pulled out of the quarter-finals of the Paris major before undergoing surgery in early June.
While his Wimbledon participation was in doubt at one point, Djokovic ramped up his preparations for the grasscourt slam and is now confident in his fitness as he chases an eighth crown at the All England Club.
“The knee has responded very well to all of that so far, which, of course then, is a great sign for my participation in Wimbledon. That’s why I decided to be in the draw,” Djokovic, the second seed, told reporters on Saturday.
“I’m confident about the health of my knee and just general physical state is really good.”
Djokovic is looking to end his title drought in 2024 after winning three of the four Grand Slams last year. His only defeat in the Grand Slams in 2023 came at Wimbledon, where he was beaten in five sets by three-times major winner Carlos Alcaraz, 21, in the title decider.
Twice champion Andy Murray, also 37, is in a fitness race of his own to be ready for what is likely his Wimbledon swansong after the Briton had surgery on a back issue. He is due to face Czech Tomas Machac on Centre Court.
Alex de Minaur, Hubert Hurkacz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, Holger Rune, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper will be some of the other top-ranked players who will be in action in the men’s draw on Tuesday.
In the women’s draw, top seed Iga Swiatek will begin her quest for a maiden Wimbledon crown when the 23-year-old Pole faces former American world number four Sofia Kenin.
For all her achievements over the last few seasons, the five-times Grand Slam champion remains largely unproven on grass with none of her 22 singles titles coming on the surface.
But a little rest after skipping all the tune-up Wimbledon tournaments might be exactly what the French Open champion needs. Third seed Aryna Sabalenka’s has withdrawn due to a shoulder injury.
Having become the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon last year, Czech sixth seed Marketa Vondrousova overcame an injury scare in the build-up to the tournament and kicks off her title defence against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain.
Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina, Ons Jabeur and Jelena Ostapenko will be some of the other top-ranked players in action in the women’s draw on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Alison Williams)
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