Petra Kvitova has played down her position as favourite for the Wimbledon crown.

The 28-year-old Czech is much fancied to add to the titles she won in 2011 and 2014 despite being only seeded eighth.

A third success would provide the ultimate feelgood story, coming a year and a half after the knife attack which left severe lacerations to all four fingers on her playing hand and threatened to end her career.

The injury still affects her, she revealed, saying: “It’s not 100 per cent, it will never be 100 per cent. That’s how I need to handle it.

“I do have some limitations, sometimes it happens that I know the limit is there.

“I’m just trying not to think negatively about, but I’m still saying I’m happy I do have my fingers.”

Kvitova arrived in south west London on the back of some stunning form which has brought her five titles in 2018, including on grass at Birmingham last weekend.

She begins her campaign against Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus on Tuesday.

As for being the bookmakers’ favourite? “I’ve been hearing that every year I play at Wimbledon, so it’s not really anything special,” she added.

“I heard the same last year as well, even though I had only played two tournaments.

“I didn’t feel that way last year. Not this year, either. I don’t really feel like a favourite.”

The world number one and top seed is Simona Halep, who finally won her first grand slam title by claiming the French Open earlier this month.

The Romanian, 26, reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon last year before losing an epic three-setter to Britian’s Johanna Konta.

Halep, who faces Kurumi Nara of Japan in round one, feels the pressure is off now she has ended her major drought.

“I don’t believe that now is going to be a bigger pressure than before,” she said, “because before there was huge pressure and everyone was talking that I’m not able to win a grand slam because I am weak mentally.

“But now I did it. I feel like the people realise that if you don’t give up, if you work, keep working on what you have less good, you can be able to realise your dream.

“So now I feel that everybody’s more relaxed. Of course, I have more questions about autographs, pictures. It’s a little bit crazy in my country. But I enjoy it.

“I’m used to it because last year was the same, when I became number one. But now I feel it bigger and I feel it nicer.”