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    25 June 2012| last updated at 09:35AM

    Tennis: Djokovic opens Wimbledon action



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    LONDON: World number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic opens Wimbledon 2012 on Centre Court on Monday, wary of the threat posed by former French Open winner Juan Carlos Ferrero.

    Djokovic, who defeated Rafael Nadal in last year’s final for a maiden  victory at the All England Club, hasn’t played since losing to the Spaniard in  the final at Roland Garros two weeks ago.

    That defeat ended his hopes of becoming just the third man to hold all four  Grand Slam titles at once.

    Djokovic split his first two meetings with former world number one Ferrero,  but hasn’t played the Spaniard in five years.

    “He definitely has a lot of experience playing on the big stage, so I’m not  underestimating him, that’s for sure,” said Djokovic.

    “It’s going to be a good first round match. Everybody who follows tennis,  especially us, the tennis players, we really respect him a lot.

    “After everything he has been through, he is still trying to go back to the  top. He is always dangerous. If you look at him now, I think he’s playing  equally well as he was playing four, five years ago. Now it’s just a matter of  his fitness obviously and his confidence on the court.”    Women’s number one Maria Sharapova, who completed a career Grand Slam with  victory at the French Open, is second-up on Centre Court where she meets  Australia’s Anastasia Rodionova.

    Sharapova, the 2004 champion, has beaten Rodionova four times in four  meetings without dropping a set.

    On Court One, six-time champion Roger Federer begins his campaign against  Spanish left-hander Albert Ramos.

    Unseeded Kim Clijsters, a four-time Grand Slam title winner, who will  retire after the US Open, meets fellow former world number one Jelena Jankovic,  the 18th seed.

    Five-time champion Venus Williams tackles Elena Vesnina while China’s  former French Open winner Li Na takes on Ksenia Pervak of Kazakhstan.  - AFP

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