Novak Djokovic enters Wimbledon as the second favorite behind defending champion Jannik Sinner.
He will begin his campaign on Monday against China's Wu Yibing at the All England Club.
The 39-year-old Serbian is targeting a historic 25th Grand Slam singles title. He also aims to equal Roger Federer by securing his eighth Wimbledon trophy.
Despite a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the clay-court season until Roland Garros, Djokovic feels better prepared for grass courts.
He believes the slick surface suits his game better than physically demanding clay.
Djokovic found unexpected motivation in the return of 44-year-old Serena Williams. She accepted a wild card into the singles draw four years after her last appearance.
"What she's doing is inspirational and it's epic," said Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion.
He communicated his admiration directly to Williams, highlighting her remarkable dedication after an extended absence and having two children.
"That's what I told her. I always admired her career, her journey, her story.
Of course, Venus, as well," Djokovic added.
Williams' physical training regimen caught Djokovic's attention during practice sessions.
"I see her in the gym more than I have, I think, seen her when she was at her prime.
It tells me that she really wants this to work out the best way possible," he said.
Djokovic expressed hope that Williams would appreciate her return. "She created something historical, legendary in her career.
She deserves every applause she's going to get," he stated.
Djokovic Reflects on French Exit
Djokovic also addressed his recent performance at the French Open, where he exited in the third round after a grueling five-set match against Brazilian player João Fonseca.
"Roland Garros was physically very draining, demanding," he said.
Reflecting on the early exit, Djokovic acknowledged the difficulty of entering a major tournament without prior competitive match play.
"Three matches, all of them went almost four hours. But I'm proud of the effort," he added.
The veteran player remains confident that his adjusted schedule will yield results during the grass-court season. "I was planning to peak at Wimbledon.
I knew not having any matches, official matches on the tour, going pretty much straight into Roland Garros, was going to be quite difficult," he explained.
Djokovic has historically avoided extensive warm-up tournaments on grass, preferring exhibition matches and practice court sessions. "I'm better prepared here than I was for Roland Garros," he said.
The lower physical demand of grass courts compared to clay provides a higher sense of confidence for Djokovic.
"Obviously playing on grass, comparing to clay, you don't need to exert as much physical effort. So that's better for me," he noted.
Djokovic added, "I always loved playing on grass. I have a very good history in Wimbledon.
That gives me, of course, a higher dose of confidence coming into the tournament."
Meanwhile, top seed Jannik Sinner faces pressure to defend his title following an unexpected second-round defeat to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo at Roland Garros last month.
