'I'm not a Wimbledon contender'－Novak

LONDON－Novak Djokovic surveyed the wreckage of his painful Queen's Club final collapse against Marin Cilic and admitted he doesn't expect to challenge for the Wimbledon title.

Djokovic was within touching distance of his first title for 12 months after earning a match point in the second set of Sunday's gripping showdown.

But the 31-year-old lost his cool, squandering that opportunity and then nervously wasting another big chance after taking a 4-1 lead in the second set tie-break.

"I wouldn't say I'm a contender, you know, for a (Wimbledon) trophy or anything like that," said Djokovic, who paid a heavy toll for allowing Cilic to scramble out of trouble as the former world No 1 slumped in the deciding set.

With Wimbledon starting on July 2, the Serb has just a week to pick up the pieces if he wants to compete for the trophy currently held by Roger Federer.

Still, Djokovic－who hasn't won a title since Eastbourne last July－should take heart from winning four matches on the lawns of Barons Court, west London.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion is accustomed to fighting for the biggest prizes in the sport and, in a frank admission, he insisted he's still some way from the form required to triumph at Wimbledon.

"At this point I have to keep my expectations very low, considering my results in the last 12 months," he said.

"I think everyone will agree that Roger is the top favorite. But Cilic is right up there next to him."

Djokovic is a lowly 22nd in the ATP rankings after a French Open quarterfinal loss to Italian journeyman Marco Cecchinato earlier this month.

The three-time Wimbledon winner hasn't earned a major title since completing his career Grand Slam by winning the 2016 French Open.

AFP