World number one Nadal, fresh from a record ninth French Open, 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 and has not won a main tour match since.
Twelve months earlier, the world's 100th best player, big-hitting Lukas Rosol, put him out in the second round, a defeat which precipitated a seven-month absence from the sport for the man from Mallorca.
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"I've said before this is really the most dangerous tournament of the year," said Nadal, who has been seeded second despite his world number one status.
"When I arrive at Roland Garros I have already played for one month on clay. I played a lot of matches. So more or less I can imagine how I am going to play.
Nadal, who faces Slovakia's Martin Klizan in the first round, suffered an opening exit on grass at Halle last week, a straight-sets defeat by German world number 85 Dustin Brown.
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.