World number one Nadal, fresh from a record ninth French Open title, was Wimbledon champion in 2008 and 2010 and runner-up in 2006, 2007 and 2010.
But his last two visits have been humiliating disasters.
The Spaniard suffered his first ever opening round exit at a Grand Slam in 2013 to Belgian journeyman Steve Darcis who was ranked 135 at the time and has not won a main tour match since.
The 28-year-old hinted at another Wimbledon letdown in the immediate aftermath of his triumph over Djokovic in the French Open final two weeks ago where he claimed his 14th major.
"I am healthy, that's the most important thing. I hope my knee will have a positive feeling on grass because I felt my knee was better last year on the other surfaces," said Nadal, who has been seeded number two for Wimbledon.
Those feelings would not have been boosted by an opening exit on the grass at Halle last week, a straights sets loss to German world number 85, Dustin Brown.
"The match was negative in all ways," lamented Nadal.
World number two Djokovic, who won his only Wimbledon title in 2011 and was runner-up to Andy Murray in 2013, has not played a grasscourt warm-up event since 2010.
But his latest thwarted attempt to win a first French Open and become just the eighth man to complete a career Grand Slam represented his seventh defeat in 13 finals at the majors.
Even more worryingly, Djokovic has now lost five of his last six Grand Slam finals.
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