Novak Djokovic: "Only going to play Wimbledon if I'm in a position to fight for the title"

Novak Djokovic is yet to confirm that he will be playing at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, even though he has already arrived at SW19 and gotten a few practice sessions in. The World No. 2, though, made clear that he will play at the grass Major only if he thinks he's fit enough to fight for the title.

Djokovic injured his knee during his last appearance on the ATP Tour, in the fourth round of the French Open. After withdrawing from the event, he underwent surgery and has since been steadily getting back his health.

Initially, the 24-time Grand Slam champion's participation at Wimbledon was under doubt, as he didn't have a lot of time to regain full fitness ahead of the tournament. But now, with the Serb on site in the United Kingdom, it's looking increasingly likely that he will be in the draw on Monday.

Speaking to the press ahead of the hunt for his eighth title at SW19, the 37-year-old noted that he had always planned to play Wimbledon and that he's not surprised by his own quick recovery.

While Djokovic didn't go into detail about the exact condition of his knee at the moment, he maintained that his rehab is progressing positively and that he has more hope than he had a few days ago.

"I'm not surprised. The plan was to try to play Wimbledon, so that's what I'm doing. That's why I came to train and see how it goes. I can't give many details about the knee, but it's going well. The rehabilitation is going in the right direction every day. Little by little it's getting better," Djokovic said.

"It's what's giving me hope and desire to move forward. I still have a week ahead of me, enough time. I'm going to do my best to know how I am before the draw is made," he added.

At the same time, the World No. 2 emphasized that he will only play the grass Major if he's confident of going all the way and not if he could only win a couple of matches.

"I didn't come here to get through a few rounds. I'm going to play if I'm sure. I'm going to take it day by day, based on how I am, how I feel and if I can play my best. If I can't play, I'll hit someone else that opportunity," Djokovic said.

"I'm only going to play if I'm in a position to go far and fight for the title. I'm not pushing myself to the limit, but I hope that happens in the next few days. I wouldn't be here without the permission of the doctors," he added.

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Novak Djokovic: "I don't plan to retire and have this be my last Wimbledon"

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic further spoke about the injury he sustained at the French Open earlier this year, stating that while it was bad luck, he still considered it an unavoidable part of the sport.

The Serb maintained that he'a managing the injury as best as possible with the help of his team, adding that he has no plans at the moment to stop at the end of the year, regardless of the setback.

"I'm not coming to play a match. I don't plan to retire and have this be my last Wimbledon, so I want to continue and this year has been different, with this injury in Paris. It's bad luck, but it's part of the sport."

"It's the first time I have had a major knee injury, so I am dealing with it day by day, the best I can and together with the members of my team. I have invested many hours in the last two weeks in my rehabilitation," Djokovic said.

Last year, Novak Djokovic reached the final at Wimbledon before losing to Carlos Alcaraz in a marathon five-setter. This year, he will be seeded No. 2 if he plays, with Jannik Sinner being the top seed and Alcaraz third.