LONDON (Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic will defend his crown at the grasscourt grand slam next month, the player's agent has announced, in contradiction to media reports to the contrary.

"He is going to play, don't doubt that," Jasmine Kafafian of Elite Management told Reuters from her Monaco base.

"There is no suggestion he will not be available."

Media reports in Ivanisevic's Croatian homeland have suggested the rangy left-hander will miss Wimbledon and instead undergo long-delayed surgery on his shoulder.

On Tuesday the Jutarnji List daily quoted Ivanisevic as saying the pain was becoming "insufferable".

"My shoulder feels like it's falling apart," the paper quoted him as saying.

But Kafafian said: "He is resting so that he will be in really good shape for Wimbledon.

"He is not playing in claycourt tournaments at the moment so that he is sure he will be fit and really ready for Wimbledon."

Ivanisevic has endured the shoulder injury for the last couple of years but has so far refused to consider surgery, saying he would play as long as he could, with the help of painkillers, before retiring.

He entered last year's Wimbledon with a broken-down shoulder and a triple-figure world ranking but beat Australian Pat Rafter in a thrilling five-set final to become the first man to win a grand slam tournament with a wild card.

Source: reuters.co.uk