Three-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic is to play at the ATP tournament in Eastbourne, southern England, in preparation for the grass-court Grand Slam, it was announced Tuesday.
The Serbian had contemplated taking an extended break from tennis after suffering a shock straight-sets defeat to Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals of the French Open.
He went out early at Wimbledon to American Sam Querrey, lost his number one ranking to Britain's Andy Murray, fell in the second round at the Australian Open to Uzbek wildcard Denis Istomin and split with his entire coaching staff last month.
'I am looking forward to fine-tuning my grass court game there ahead of Wimbledon'.
But the 30-year-old has decided to make the trip to Eastbourne for a tournament that takes place just a week before the third grand slam of the season.
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Djokovic has not entered an official grass-court competition between the French Open and Wimbledon since 2010, instead opting for rest and the odd exhibition match.
Wimbledon starts on July 3.
Gael Monfils, John Isner and Steve Johnson - plus Britons Kyle Edmund and Aljaz Bedene - are among the other players who will be in attendance at Devonshire Park.
Djokovic is a three-time victor of Wimbledon but he is well behind defending champion Andy Murray and Roger Federer in the betting this time around after his disappointing results in the first half of the season.
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