Roger Federer is determined to transform his season at Wimbledon but accepts Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are far better placed than he is to mount a trophy challenge.
For the first time since 2000, the year of his second Wimbledon, Federer is playing the championships without a title from the first six months of the season.
At the age of 34, time might be catching up with the maestro, who for the first time in his career needed to undergo significant surgery in February.
That repaired knee trouble, but back problems then forced the seven-time Wimbledon champion out of the French Open, ending a record run of 65 grand slam appearances.
"Look, this back has won me 88 titles, so I'm okay with that back. It's okay if it messes around with me sometimes," Federer said at Wimbledon on Saturday.
When it messed him around this time, Federer said the decision to skip Roland Garros was "very easy".
"Because it was for Wimbledon, it was for the rest of the season, it was for my life, it was for the rest of my career," he said.
He played himself back to fitness and, to an extent, back to form, on grass at events in Stuttgart and Halle before heading to London, losing semi-finals to Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev respectively.
"The last month has been good," Federer said."Before that, things have not been so good.
"Clearly I'm not thinking of the title right away. It's too far ahead. Regardless if even Novak or Andy would be in the draw, and they are in the draw, they are the big favourites in my opinion. They've had such a great last six months, last few years. To me they are the ones to beat."
Murray and Djokovic have contested the first two grand slam finals of the year, with the Serbian triumphing both in Melbourne and Paris, and Federer finds himself a distant third in the world rankings, looking to break up the developing duopoly at the top of the game.
Despite putting himself in a chasing pack, it is worth remembering Federer has been a finalist at Wimbledon for the last two years, beaten by Djokovic both times. He is hopeful that simply being in the environment where he feels at his most comfortable will be the spur he requires.
"This is a huge boost for me after pulling out of Paris, that I'm back here at my favourite tournament," Federer said. "With all the success I've had here, this is the motivation I need right now to get back on the big courts, play good matches, enjoy Wimbledon.
"I love this tournament more than anything. It's a huge opportunity for me to maybe turn around the season."
He starts on Monday against Argentinian Guido Pella, a 26-year-old left-hander who will be making just his second Wimbledon appearance.
On his debut three years ago, Pella retired in tears from a first-round clash with Jesse Levine when, deep into a fifth set, the South American suffered a muscle tear so bad he needed to be carried away on a stretcher.
Federer is optimistic a strong summer lies ahead for him, and it will include an Olympics mission, as he seeks the singles gold medal that has so far escaped him.
This will presumably be his final chance, and Federer is not being put off by the threat of the Zika virus.
Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott are among the golfers to have opted out of the Rio Games because of their concerns over the mosquito-carried bug, which has been linked to birth defects in newborn babies.
Federer said of the rash of golfers giving it a miss: "It's completely their decision.
"I have never reconsidered my decision. I know I will play. I will try everything I possibly can to be there. For me, it's always been a big deal, the Olympics.
"I'll put mosquito spray on my body. I'll take the precautions I have to."
Source: PA
