Australian Open 2012 Predictions: First Grand Slam Is Novak Djokovic's to Lose

If you thought 2011 was an otherworldly year for Novak Djokovic, just wait until you see what he does to the sport of men's tennis in 2012.

Okay, so it'll probably be tough for him to top his 70-6 mark from last year, but you can bet he'll get off to a magnificent start in pursuit of further greatness at the 2012 Australian Open.

The first Grand Slam event of the new season figures to stay within the "Trivalry" at the very least, though Djokovic's two partners in that ring of honor, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, will be hard-pressed to oust the No. 1 seed at Melbourne Park. Nadal has been dealing with a sore shoulder, which has forced him to cart around his gear rather than carry it. Federer, on the other hand, has been plagued by pain in his back that forced him to withdraw from the Qatar Open earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Djokovic is still spry and healthy at the age of 24, with perhaps his best tennis still left to be played. That in itself should allow him to create separation between himself and FedEx and Rafa atop the current hierarchy of men's tennis.

Of course, Djokovic isn't exactly invincible on the court. He dropped four of his final 10 matches last year and suffered his first loss of the most recent calendar year against Federer at the French Open.

Still, unless someone else rises up from out of the shadows to take men's tennis by storm, Djokovic will reign supreme for the second year in succession, beginning with an impressive bit of thunder down under.

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