Djokovic declares himself better prepared for Wimbledon
Novak Djokovic has stated that he is "better prepared" for Wimbledon than he was for the French Open, citing his love for grass surfaces and his strong record at the tournament as sources of a "higher dose of confidence." The seven-time Wimbledon champion is chasing his 25th Grand Slam title and eighth Wimbledon crown, having not won a major since the 2023 US Open.
Recovery from shoulder injury and recent form
Djokovic has not competed since his third-round exit at Roland Garros, where he lost to 20-year-old Joao Fonseca in a five-set match. A shoulder injury earlier in 2026 limited him to just three tour-level appearances since his runner-up finish at the Australian Open in January. Speaking ahead of Wimbledon, Djokovic reflected on his physical state: "I think it is different in terms of my overall physical state. I think I am better prepared here than I was for Roland Garros. Obviously, playing on grass, compared to clay, you do not need to exert as much physical effort. So that is better for me."
He added: "I always loved playing on grass. I have a very good score here, history, in Wimbledon. That gives me a higher dose of confidence coming into the tournament."
Wimbledon as a launch pad for comeback
Djokovic is making his first tour-level grass court appearance since his Wimbledon semifinal loss to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in 2025. Despite the upset defeat to Fonseca, Djokovic believes Wimbledon can serve as a perfect platform for his response. "Roland Garros was physically very draining, demanding," Djokovic said. "Three matches that I played, all of them went almost four hours. But I am proud of the effort. I lost in the third round against a 20-years-younger opponent, fought until the end in five sets, almost four and whatever hours that we played. Maybe not the result I was looking for, but the effort was there."
He continued: "Anyway, I was planning to peak at Wimbledon after the injury to my shoulder, which kind of kept me away from the Tour for several months. I knew not having any matches, official matches on the tour, going pretty much straight into Roland Garros, is going to be quite difficult. Maybe too big of a challenge for me at the moment. That has what happened."
First-round opponent and head-to-head
Djokovic will begin his Wimbledon campaign against China's Wu Yibing in their first head-to-head meeting. The Serbian has not won a Grand Slam since 2023, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner dominating the majors in recent years.
