LONDON: Novak Djokovic said Saturday it would not have been “correct” to miss Wimbledon despite having undergone knee surgery just over three weeks ago.
The 37-year-old Serb, who is looking to equal Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles and become the oldest champion of the modern era, said he was driven by his “incredible desire to play and compete.”
Djokovic needed surgery to repair the damaged meniscus in his right knee after being injured at the French Open earlier this month.
He was forced to withdraw before his quarter-final and hasn’t played since.
“I do have something that is described as a feeling of not missing out at a Grand Slam while I can still play and while I’m still active and at this level,” said Djokovic.
“I wouldn’t call it a fear of missing out. I would just say it’s this incredible desire to play, just to compete.
“Particularly because it is Wimbledon, the tournament that always has been a dream tournament for me when I was a kid. Just the thought of me missing Wimbledon was just not correct. I didn’t want to deal with that.”
Djokovic arrives in London without a title to his name this season.
He has seen 22-year-old Jannik Sinner take his Australian Open crown as well as his world number one ranking.
Carlos Alcaraz, who deposed him as Wimbledon champion 12 months ago, succeeded him as French Open champion earlier this month.
“I’m confident about the health of my knee and just general physical state is really good,” said the Serb who is chasing a 25th Grand Slam title.
“I haven’t had any setback. If I had one setback, I would be then questioning whether I should be here or not. But I haven’t had a single one. Why not give it a shot?“
Alcaraz has been impressed by what he’s seen of Djokovic just 24 days after going under the knife.
The Spaniard on Saturday described Djokovic as “superhuman.”
But the Serb said he was inspired by Taylor Fritz, the American player who was back on court 21 days after requiring similar knee surgery in 2021.
Fritz suffered his injury at the French Open and needed a wheelchair to help him off court.
After surgery, he returned at Wimbledon and made the third round.
“I think Taylor Fritz is a superhuman,” insisted Djokovic.
“His situation really gave me optimism that I can make it, too.
“Three weeks is just making the cut, so to say. It’s not ideal maybe in the eyes of the doctors and specialists that would normally tell you it’s normally between three and six weeks.
“But it’s also individual. It’s very subjective. Everyone has a different response to the recovery.”

LONDON: Alexander Zverev placed himself among the serious contenders for the Wimbledon title on Saturday, insisting that this year’s showpiece “is the most open in 20 years.”
The world number four has never got past the last 16 at the All England Club.
However, with Roger Federer retired, Rafael Nadal resting and both Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray carrying injuries, the 27-year-old predicts a power vacuum in south-west London.
“I think this is the most open Wimbledon Championship that we maybe had in 20 years in terms of favorites, in terms of potential winners,” said Zverev.
“I think there’s multiple guys who have a very decent chance of going deep and very decent chance of winning the tournament.
“I don’t think it has been like that for maybe 20 years since before Roger started playing, right? After Roger came Rafa, Novak, Andy. I really feel it’s different this year.”
Since Lleyton Hewitt claimed the 2002 Wimbledon title, the tournament was dominated by Federer (eight titles), Djokovic (seven), Nadal (two) and Murray (two).
Carlos Alcaraz’s victory over Djokovic in the 2023 championship match finally broke the ‘Big Four’ stranglehold.
Djokovic and Murray are 37 and both arrive at the tournament fresh from bouts of surgery — Djokovic on his right knee while Murray needed an operation to remove a cyst on his back.
“It’s the first time I really feel like I’m here to be a competitor, to maybe win the title,” said Zverev.
“I didn’t feel like that previous years when I came here. I didn’t feel like I was capable. I didn’t believe I was capable.”
Zverev has suffered two heart-breaking defeats in Grand Slam finals.
At the 2020 US Open, he surrendered a two sets lead against Dominic Thiem while at this year’s French Open, he slipped to a five-set loss to Alcaraz from two sets to one up.
His two fourth round losses at Wimbledon were also five-setters against Milos Raonic in 2017 and Felix Auger-Aliassime in 2023.
“This is a tournament where maybe I need a bit more luck and maybe a few things to go my way, a few things to happen,” he added.
“More than maybe at other Grand Slams. If those things all come into place, if all those things maybe go my way for once, do I believe I can win? Then yes, I can.”
Once his Wimbledon campaign is over, Zverev will return to Roland Garros in Paris to defend his Olympic title.
“The Olympics is probably the most difficult trophy to win in tennis for us because we have that tournament once every four years,” said Zverev.
“If you’re not performing during that week, you have to wait another four years. Where at Grand Slams or other events, we have multiple per year.”