LONDON — Novak Djokovic will not have long to wait to discover whether his risky pre-Wimbledon schedule was foolhardy or the perfect way to arrive fresh for the defense of his title.
As tradition demands the Serb will open play on Center Court on Monday as defending men's champion but rather than a gentle loosener the 28-year-old faces a real danger in the form of Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber, the world number 33.
It will be his first competitive match since his French Open final defeat by Stanislas Wawrinka -- a loss that left him mentally frazzled after a punishing year in which he has already bagged the Australian Open and four Masters 1000 titles.