Novak Djokovic insists he can win an eighth Wimbledon title as knee injury rehab has given him 'enough optimism to compete on the highest level' - while Andy Murray admits he's 'willing' to risk playing in his SW19 swansong

Novak Djokovic insists he is astatine Wimbledon to triumph his eighth title – not simply dress up nan numbers truthful soon aft nan knee room this period which threatened his participation.

In a informing to his rivals, nan 37-year-old declared himself fit, saying he has not encountered a azygous setback and will clasp thing backmost from nan infinitesimal he faces Vit Kopriva successful nan first round.

‘I didn't travel present to play a fewer rounds and beryllium to myself and others that I tin really compete successful 1 aliases 2 matches,’ Djokovic said yesterday. ‘I really want to spell for nan title. The past 3 days person fixed maine capable optimism and bully signs that I tin really beryllium successful a authorities to compete connected nan highest level for nan adjacent fewer weeks.’

Djokovic practised pinch Jannik Sinner, Frances Tiafoe, Daniil Medvedev, Emil Ruusuvuori and Holger Rune this week, wishing to push his knee to nan maximum anterior to Wimbledon’s start.

The defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has described Djokovic arsenic ‘superhuman’. The Serbian played down that compliment but added: ‘If I had 1 setback, I would past beryllium questioning whether I should beryllium present aliases not. But I haven't had a azygous one. Why not springiness it a shot?

‘If I had a time wherever my knee conscionable flares up and I person swelling and inflammation, of people I would beryllium slowing down, past my full Wimbledon, this year's participation, would beryllium successful doubt. But that didn't happen. It's not happening.’

Meanwhile, Britain's Andy Murray gave a downbeat appraisal of his chances of playing successful nan Wimbledon singles – but vowed that he is consenting to return a consequence pinch his assemblage to do so.

The 37-year-old practiced astatine Wimbledon yesterday, appearing successful nationalist for nan first clip since having a spinal cyst removed. ‘There’s risks associated pinch what I’m trying to do and I’m consenting to return that to effort and play,’ he said.

‘We’ll spot what happens. I request to beryllium capable to move properly, which I can’t yet, truthful let’s spot successful 48 hours aliases so. I don’t know. Tough to cognize really it’s going to progress, really.’

Murray deed for an hr but ne'er astatine a precocious intensity. The two-time champion is astatine Wimbledon 1 past time, earlier readying to discontinue astatine nan Olympics, and is hoping nan nervus symptom settles down successful clip for him to play his first-round lucifer connected Tuesday against Czech Tomas Machac.