Wimbledon and says that he can also be the ‘joint favourite’ alongside the reigning champion Jannik Sinner.
World number one Sinner overcame a scare in his Wimbledon opener beat Miomir Kecmanovic in five sets.
The 24-year-old Italian twice found himself a group behind but proved his class to deny Kecmanovic one of the biggest wins of his career.
Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s final but won’t have to overcome his long-time rival at SW19 this time around after the Spaniard was ruled out through injury.
The defending champion is therefore the clear favorite to win his fifth Grand Slam title, at least according to the bookies, but Rusedski believes the legendary Djokovic cannot be discounted.
Djokovic, 39, is looking to equal Roger Federer’s record eight Wimbledon titles and claim a record 25th Grand Slam at the All England Club.
The Serbian icon, who has not added to his Grand Slam tally since 2023, began his Wimbledon campaign with a hard fought win over China’s Wu Yibing.
‘Novak Djokovic it’s my second choice for the Wimbledon title,” said Rusedski Out of Court Podcast.
‘People are comparing him to him Serena Williams in a way because of their age and status, but you can’t compare her to Serena. He has been playing all year and is still a full-time professional.
“Let’s not forget that he could Jannik the Sinner IN Australian Opennobody thought he would win that match and he had a great start against Carlos Alcaraz in the final before Alcaraz stepped on the gas.
“With Alcaraz out, Djokovic only has to beat one of the big two and he will think this is my best chance to win No. 25.
“If Djokovic gets to 25, it’s a bit like Rafael Nadal and his 14th Open French titles. It’s a number that has never been hit before and would be truly remarkable.
“Look at Djokovic on the grass too, he doesn’t need a warm-up. He has enough tennis in Paris and is playing quite well.
“For me, he might even be the joint favorite because of the heat. If it’s really hot like it has been in the UK, Djokovic is definitely one of the best grass court players on the planet.
‘Don’t discount Djokovic. For me, he is second favorite to win the title and his best chance to win number 25.’
Djokovic will face former Australian Open and French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round of Wimbledon, while Sinner will face Nuno Borges.
Other contenders for the men’s title include reigning French Open champion Alexander Zverev and former US Open finalist Taylor Fritz.
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