The tennis jungle Andy Murray is preparing to re-enter – possibly next week at Queen’s Club – will not be noticeably different to the one from which he hobbled away a year ago.

Roger Federer will be easing back into shape at Halle, having again chosen to skip the clay to save his 36-year-old legs for the grass of the All England Club he finds so suited to his game. Novak Djokovic – despite an uncharacteristically short-tempered exit from Roland Garros, mumbling about uncertainty over his future – will be desperate to get his career back on track where he has won three of his 12 majors. And Rafael Nadal will arrive on the grass – perhaps at Queen’s Club – celebrated as the finest clay-courter of all but with reduced prospects at Wimbledon, where he has not got out of the fourth round since he lost against Djokovic in the 2011 final.

Andy Murray set to decide on Queen's and Wimbledon next week Read more

As for Murray, the word is he is hitting the ball with purpose and moving freely in practice, easing fears the grass season may pass him by. His team expect him to decide towards the end of the week if he is ready. Although he has put his name down for Washington in August and Shenzhen in September, it is inconceivable he will choose either of those hard courts on which to make his comeback.

A more sensible scenario – if he is fit and ready – would be to play Queen’s Club, where he feels comfortable and has won five times, to see how his mind and body hold up under the stress of match conditions. It is a small, high-quality field and, even if he lost, he would have a far better idea of how he may fare at Wimbledon, the scene of his last competitive match. If he got back to winning, he would be in a much better frame of mind.

It would be folly to walk straight on to the main stage at Wimbledon without rehearsing his lines at Queen’s. He will not be seeded, for a start – and ranked outside the top 150 – so could draw any of the major contenders in the first round. To lose in a five-set match against Federer, say, in front of his home audience on Centre Court or Court No 1 would not be a pleasant experience for anyone – except, maybe, Federer.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Roger Federer will be favourite to successfully defend his Wimbledon title. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

For now, the man of the moment is Nadal. His 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win against Dominic Thiem on Court Philippe Chatrier on a stifling Sunday afternoon was a dogged rather than outstanding performance but he did what he needed to do. He dropped one set in the whole fortnight – in the quarter-finals against Diego Schwartzman – and had a couple of other tough moments but, generally, he ruled Roland Garros with the same imperious strut he showed in his first final, 13 years ago. Now he has La Undecima. If nothing else, he is improving everyone’s Spanish.

It is easy to take Nadal for granted. He has been at or near the top of the game for so long he is expected to deliver excellence and victories every time he steps on to a court, especially with clay underfoot. And, while he always reminds us there are no certainties in sport, over five sets on his favourite surface, the Spaniard is invincible if he wins the first set – he has prevailed 95 times in those circumstances.

Quick guide Grass court tournaments Show Hide This week Nature Valley Open, Nottingham Women Johanna Konta is due to start her campaign against Kurumi Nara on Tuesday. Heather Watson, Katie Boulter, Katie Swan and Gabriella Taylor make up the British contingent.Mercedes Cup, Stuttgart Libema Open, s-Hertogenbosch Men Roger Federer plays after a three-month break with a back injury. The Swiss faces the winner of Mikhail Youzhny’s match against Mischa Zverev. Lucas Pouille is the second seed. Women Coco Vandeweghe tops the bill in the Netherlands.

Next week Nature Valley Classic, Edgbaston Women Maria Sharapova is listed, along with the defending champion Garbiñe Muguruza, Petra Kvitova, Madison Keys and Konta. Fever-Tree Championships,Queen’s Club, London Men Novak Djokovic was a surprise addition to the line-up on Monday, and we should know this week whether Andy Murray will make his comeback at the newly named event in west London. Rafael Nadal is due, along with Grigor Dimitrov, Marin Cilic and Kyle Edmund. Gerry Weber Open, Halle Men Federer is due in Germany again, along with Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem. 25-30 June Nature Valley International, Eastbourne Women The newly crowned French Open champion Simona Halep and the Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki will be among those in Sussex. Men Edmund, Diego Schwartzman and Denis Shapolov are due to play.

Then it’s off to Wimbledon, where the action begins on Monday 2 July. Photograph: Nigel French/PA

On grass, however, he has become increasingly vulnerable. Four players on or outside the top 100 have beaten him at Wimbledon in the past seven years. Last year the 34‑year‑old left-hander Gilles Müller ground him down in five sets in the fourth round.

Yet his uncle, Toni, who is still a considerable presence in the Nadal camp now run by Carlos Moyá, thinks he can win a third Wimbledon title – which is touching. But unrealistic.

Federer, though, is a different beast. His body’s mechanics could not be more different to the muscular intensity of Nadal, and the Swiss husbands his resources like a miser. He has picked up injuries, also, but made the most remarkable comeback from knee surgery in 2016 to win the Australian Open last year – and do it again this year. He also squeezed in an eighth Wimbledon title, of course, with Nadal, Murray and Djokovic all cut down way before the final weekend.

Andy Murray must be realistic about Wimbledon run, says John McEnroe Read more

This may be the last time the Big Four contest the championship together. It cannot be guaranteed any will still be playing a year from now, although Nadal gave no indication in Paris that he has any retirement plans.

We should enjoy them while we can, while they are still willing and able to put the hours in on and off the court, striving as they have done for more than a decade to outdo each other. It is a four-cornered rivalry that has made them the great champions they are.

It does not matter, really, if Federer is viewed as better than Nadal, or vice versa, when they eventually walk away – although the notion of parity is anathema to their fiercely loyal fans. But one fact is close to incontestable: neither would have reached the heights he has done without being pushed by the other.