Wimbledon return is the target for Ivanisevic

Wimbledon should discover this month whether one of its favourite champions will return to play on Centre Court.

Goran Ivanisevic was beginning yet another comeback this week after accepting wild cards into tournaments in Milan and Rotterdam.

The 32-year-old Croat has not played a match since his first round defeat at the Stella Artois Championships in London last June. He still harbours hopes of returning to the All England Club where his last match was his epic and extraordinary 2001 final win over Pat Rafter.

But he admitted this week that if his long-standing shoulder injury was to flare up again he would be forced to call time on his career. Ivanisevic said: "This is definitely my last attempt to return - I had to give myself one more chance. I want to play fit at Wimbledon one more time and then feel the special atmosphere of the Olympic Games again."

Meanwhile, Serena Williams' comeback after knee surgery has been further delayed. Williams pulled out of this week's tournament in Paris claiming she was not ready to start her bid to reclaim the world No 1 ranking.

Williams underwent surgery on her left knee in August and did not defend her Australian Open title in Melbourne last month. She said: "I am continuing to train and I feel that I am just about where I want to be. My knee feels great and I look forward to coming back in championship form."

Williams and her sister, Venus, are scheduled to play in the Family Circle Cup from 10 to 18 April at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island, in South Carolina. If both sisters play they will face Chanda Rubin and Elena Dementieva, who committed to the tournament yesterday. They joined the world No 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne, Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati in the tournament.