By . Mike Dickson . Follow @@Mike_Dickson_DM . As Murraymania builds towards a crescendo across Wimbledon a warning comes from arguably the greatest player of them all. Rod Laver, watching what he describes as ‘a completely different sport’ to the one he once played with distinction, believes that Novak Djokovic remains the favourite for the title this year. 'I saw a lot of his match against Tsonga on Monday, he is just so tough and consistent off the ground,' says the 75-year-old Australian legend. No 1: Novak Djokovic (above) is Rod Laver's favourite to win this year's Wimbledon . 'His serve also seems to me to have more on it than it did last year, so he is the guy I would pick, although any of the top four could do it.' Laver is eagerly anticipating Wednesday’s quarter-final between Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov, but reckons the improvements in the Murray game from the past two years will probably see him through. 'Before he joined up with Ivan Lendl he was patting the ball back too much, but Andy listened and now he is taking it to his opponents more. I would still like to see him at the net more than he is. 'I think Grigor is going to be a great player, he has all the shots. But if Murray isn’t making any errors, that’s going to create a lot of pressure.' Changes: Laver believes tennis is 'a completely different sport' to the one he once played . While Laver has the Centre Court equivalent named after him at the Australian Open, he is happy sitting in the members’ seats at the All England Club, and occasionally the Royal Box. He was among the many who noticed Ilie Nastase sitting there on Monday decked out in uniform. 'Was it a military outfit or something?' asks the famously mild-mannered Laver, who in his new autobiography singled out Nastase as one of the very players he struggled to get along with. 'Ilie has never seemed to care if he is hurting other people, he has that way about him. He thinks it’s all funny. He would get angry and do things to denigrate the crowd or be rude to women umpires. I ended up asking not to have to play against him when I played exhibitions or veterans’ matches.' Laver went on long enough at the highest level to be reaching the last eight of big tour events at 37, and on that basis believes that Roger Federer has ‘maybe two years’ left at the top. Yet he concedes that the game he played is so utterly different to the one he watches now, however much he still enjoys it. Rivalry: Ilie Nastase (pictured) 'never seemed to care if he is hurting people' according to Laver . 'It’s so much tougher these days, when I was playing tournaments in England sometimes my first-round opponent would be a county player, not the quality they have to face now. 'The biggest difference is the rackets and strings. I always get asked how I would fare against today’s top players but it’s impossible to say because of that. 'Only if I had played with a composite racket from the age of eight or ten could you try and judge it. Someone like Nadal, he gets so much spin on the ball it’s almost impossible for him to overhit. Back in the day: Laver was ranked as world No 1 for seven consecutive years . 'I was five feet eight and a half and Ken Rosewall was five feet seven. If I played John Isner now, his kick serve into the advantage court would be going four feet over my head. 'I regret that the small man is now excluded from becoming a top player unless they have something very special about them, but I do think the modern game is great to watch. 'I also think the top four players in this era are of the highest quality we have seen. There was myself, Rosewall and Hoad for a time in the sixties but the depth is not the same.' *Rod Laver: An Autobiography is published by Allen & Unwin, £16.99 . Next step: Andy Murray faces Grigor Dimitrov in the Wimbledon quarter-final on Wednesday .
Tennis legend Rod Laver believes Novak Djokovic is in pole position to win Wimbledon .
Laver believes the No 1 seed will take some stopping, but 'any of the top four can win it '
75-year-old Australian claims Andy Murray can overcome his quarter-final opponent Grigor Dimitrov .
By . Mike Dickson . Follow @@Mike_Dickson_DM . As Murraymania builds towards a crescendo across Wimbledon a warning comes from arguably the greatest player of them all. Rod Laver, watching what he describes as ‘a completely different sport’ to the one he once played with distinction, believes that Novak Djokovic remains the favourite for the title this year. 'I saw a lot of his match against Tsonga on Monday, he is just so tough and consistent off the ground,' says the 75-year-old Australian legend. No 1: Novak Djokovic (above) is Rod Laver's favourite to win this year's Wimbledon . 'His serve also seems to me to have more on it than it did last year, so he is the guy I would pick, although any of the top four could do it.' Laver is eagerly anticipating Wednesday’s quarter-final between Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov, but reckons the improvements in the Murray game from the past two years will probably see him through. 'Before he joined up with Ivan Lendl he was patting the ball back too much, but Andy listened and now he is taking it to his opponents more. I would still like to see him at the net more than he is. 'I think Grigor is going to be a great player, he has all the shots. But if Murray isn’t making any errors, that’s going to create a lot of pressure.' Changes: Laver believes tennis is 'a completely different sport' to the one he once played . While Laver has the Centre Court equivalent named after him at the Australian Open, he is happy sitting in the members’ seats at the All England Club, and occasionally the Royal Box. He was among the many who noticed Ilie Nastase sitting there on Monday decked out in uniform. 'Was it a military outfit or something?' asks the famously mild-mannered Laver, who in his new autobiography singled out Nastase as one of the very players he struggled to get along with. 'Ilie has never seemed to care if he is hurting other people, he has that way about him. He thinks it’s all funny. He would get angry and do things to denigrate the crowd or be rude to women umpires. I ended up asking not to have to play against him when I played exhibitions or veterans’ matches.' Laver went on long enough at the highest level to be reaching the last eight of big tour events at 37, and on that basis believes that Roger Federer has ‘maybe two years’ left at the top. Yet he concedes that the game he played is so utterly different to the one he watches now, however much he still enjoys it. Rivalry: Ilie Nastase (pictured) 'never seemed to care if he is hurting people' according to Laver . 'It’s so much tougher these days, when I was playing tournaments in England sometimes my first-round opponent would be a county player, not the quality they have to face now. 'The biggest difference is the rackets and strings. I always get asked how I would fare against today’s top players but it’s impossible to say because of that. 'Only if I had played with a composite racket from the age of eight or ten could you try and judge it. Someone like Nadal, he gets so much spin on the ball it’s almost impossible for him to overhit. Back in the day: Laver was ranked as world No 1 for seven consecutive years . 'I was five feet eight and a half and Ken Rosewall was five feet seven. If I played John Isner now, his kick serve into the advantage court would be going four feet over my head. 'I regret that the small man is now excluded from becoming a top player unless they have something very special about them, but I do think the modern game is great to watch. 'I also think the top four players in this era are of the highest quality we have seen. There was myself, Rosewall and Hoad for a time in the sixties but the depth is not the same.' *Rod Laver: An Autobiography is published by Allen & Unwin, £16.99 . Next step: Andy Murray faces Grigor Dimitrov in the Wimbledon quarter-final on Wednesday .
distinction, believes that Novak Djokovic remains says the 75-year-old Australian legend. No 1: to win this year's Wimbledon . 'His serve also of the top four could do it.' Laver is eagerly the same.' *Rod Laver: An Autobiography is Andy Murray faces Grigor Dimitrov in the